Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed that the two contracts are effectively worth over £100million each given what it would cost to find direct replacements in the transfer market.
Although Salah and Van Dijk are now 32 and 33 respectively, both remain key parts of Arne Slot’s plans for the future and the latter will follow the former by signing a two-year deal.
Salah officially put pen to paper on a new agreement which was announced on 11 April, while the Reds’ captain is expected to follow in due course after months of speculation.
The club remained confident throughout the season about the futures of both star players, after Football Insider revealed in December that Salah and Van Dijk would sign with Liverpool.
However, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid has come as a blow as they initially planned for all three to commit their futures to the Reds.
Liverpool-mohamed-salah
Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract at Liverpool.
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Liverpool boosted as Van Dijk and Salah agree new contracts
Given the level of uncertainty surrounding the futures of Salah and Van Dijk, Liverpool had already begun putting plans in place to sign potential replacements.
Football Insider revealed on 28 February that Liverpool want to sign a new centre-back and have identified multiple options for the position.
The Reds are expected to sign a new centre-back regardless of their captain’s future, however, as Slot believes his defence is in need of reinforcements.
Meanwhile, Football Insider revealed that Liverpool want to sign West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen as a potential replacement for Salah and alternative to Alexander Isak.
Both Salah and Van Dijk signing new deals has come as a huge boost ahead of the end of the season as Liverpool continue their march towards the Premier League title.
Arne Slot is preparing for a busy summer window. (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)
Arne Slot faces overhaul of his first-team squad at Anfield
While Salah and Van Dijk’s contract news will provide a boost, the Reds are still putting plans in place for a potential overhaul of the first-team squad.
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that ten first-team stars could leave Liverpool over the next two or three years, with a major rebuild on the cards.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas have all been earmarked for exits in the next “two or three years”.
Meanwhile, Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have also had questions asked about their long-term futures at Anfield.
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