Liverpool risks £131 million loss from key player contracts

Liverpool faces a critical situation regarding the futures of three key players: Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. As contract discussions drag on, they risk leaving the club as free agents this summer. Losing these players would severely impact Liverpool's hopes of winning titles, as their performances have been crucial to the team's success. Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold are among the highest earners at Liverpool. Salah reportedly earns around £350,000 a week, while Van Dijk's salary is estimated between £200,000 and £220,000. Alexander-Arnold, although earning less, is still among the top earners. The team’s current wage bill stands at £378 million, making the financial implications of losing these players significant. Liverpool recently reported a pre-tax loss of £57 million, with wages accounting for 61.5% of their total revenue of £614 million. UEFA has implemented new financial rules limiting clubs' spending on wages and transfers to 70% of their revenue. If Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold leave, Liverpool could lower their wage-to-revenue ratio to 55%, helping them comply with these regulations. However, the loss of these star players would negatively affect the team's performance. Transfermarkt values them collectively at £131 million, with Alexander-Arnold being the most valuable player due to his age and potential. The club would face a challenging task in finding comparable replacements if they cannot agree on new contracts. There is hope for Liverpool in observing Bayern Munich's recent success in securing contracts with their star players. Bayern managed to keep key talents like Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala by quickly finalizing new deals. This could inspire Liverpool executives to secure the futures of Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold before it is too late.