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Arne Slot names three Liverpool players who returned to pre-season in amazing shape
Arne Slot has started well at Liverpool but concern over expiring contracts continues to cast a shadow over his results.
The Reds kicked off their Premier League campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Ipswich Town and Arne Slot will hope to pick up another three points when he takes charge of his first Premier League match at Anfield against Brentford on Sunday afternoon.
Slot’s Feyenoord staff hailed the Dutchman as a football “obsessive”, and so far he has lived up to that title with tactics that have impressed the Liverpool fanbase.
But Liverpool’s off-pitch decisions this summer have raised concerns with the Merseyside club the only Premier League team yet to sign a player in the transfer window.
On top of that, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all entered the final year of their contracts and are at risk of leaving the club for free next summer.
Van Dijk and Salah have attracted interest from Saudi Arabia while Alexander-Arnold continues to be linked with Real Madrid to join up with good friend Jude Bellingham.
Arne Slot on Liverpool contract talks
Forget any new signings, Liverpool’s top priority should be trying to keep hold of arguably their best three players.
Losing the trio for free next summer would be nothing short of disastrous and it would seriously harm the quality of squad available to Slot.
But Slot provided a positive update on the trio and pointed out that they all returned to training in fantastic shape this summer.
Speaking to Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, Slot said “The only thing I have to do, what I do with all of them is bring the best out of them. If we bring the best out of them and they perform really well then it is up to them if they want to sign.
“It is up to the club and us if we give them a new contract, but the best thing for all of them is – if you’re out of contract or not – to get the best performance as possible.
“That is where I should, and will, help them together with my staff to bring the best out of them.
“Until now, it’s been nothing but positive.
“Mo came back really strong in terms of physique, Virgil came back really strong and Trent has done the same.”
Crucial contract talks at Liverpool
Liverpool will kick themselves for turning down big-money offers for Salah and Van Dijk if they end up leaving for free next year.
READ MORE: Darren Bent says £180,000-a-week Liverpool player is actually not ‘world-class’
All three players with expiring contracts are big stars and big leaders in the dressing room. Not only would their exit weaken the squad but it would also sap all the belief and hope out of the club’s chances of competing at the top.
It is vital that Slot starts well this season so that he can convince them to stay – a poor start could see their eyes wander over to Saudi and Madrid quickly.