Liverpool told to forget about Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold in contract dilemma

Virgil van Dijk is retired of declaration successful July - arsenic are Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold - and Reds large Mark Lawrenson says the Dutch defender should beryllium Liverpool's priority

Liverpool should prioritise nailing down Virgil van Dijk connected a caller declaration - adjacent implicit Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, claims Reds fable Mark Lawrenson.

Lawrenson says van Dijk is an immense fig astatine Liverpool, connected and disconnected the pitch. Lawrenson played beside Graeme Souness and Kenny Dalglish astatine Liverpool successful the 1980s and tin spot that van Dijk is simply a earthy leader. Van Dijk’s declaration expires successful July - on with Salah and Alexander-Arnold - and Lawrenson feels helium is the astir important subordinate to keep.

“I deliberation the astir important subordinate of the 3 that Liverpool request to motion connected is Virgil van Dijk,” Lawrenson told Sports Casting. “It’s not conscionable astir his playing ability, but what helium gives the squad successful the dressing country and his enactment qualities connected the pitch.

“He truly runs that squad and would beryllium a monolithic miss. We’ve seen Liverpool conflict to screen that centre-back spot erstwhile 1 of them gets injured successful the past, truthful it’ll payment them successful the agelong word if helium stays astatine the nine longer.

"I don’t deliberation it’s an exaggeration to accidental that immoderate 1 of him, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, leaving would outgo Liverpool hundreds of millions successful presumption of replacing them.

“These 3 guys person earned the close to bash immoderate they privation though, truthful you can’t truly look astatine them and say, ‘why are they leaving?’. It’s a pugnacious 1 for the owners, but that’s the mode that it is.”

Lawrenson won 5 titles with Liverpool and feels the Reds tin decorativeness up of champions Manchester City - but down Arsenal. He is greatly impressed with Arsenal’s advancement nether Mikel Arteta and believes this volition beryllium their season.

“Liverpool volition decorativeness 2nd for maine - up of Manchester City,” helium said. “I conscionable look astatine City and they’ve got each sorts of problems, some connected and disconnected the pitch. Arsenal connected the different manus look bare and mean. They truly judge this is their twelvemonth and I deliberation it’ll beryllium pugnacious to decorativeness supra them.”

Lawrenson besides has large hopes for Federico Chiesa astatine Anfield and says helium tin gain a regular spot nether caput manager Arne Slot. “I deliberation erstwhile Federico Chiesa gets into the starting XI, he’ll beryllium hard to permission out,” helium said.

“He looked crisp erstwhile helium came connected against Bournemouth past play and it’s looking similar a truly bully woody for Liverpool astatine the infinitesimal connected paper. The main occupation of people is his wounded record, but Liverpool tin header with that due to the fact that they’ve got galore antithetic players successful those guardant positions. I deliberation helium appreciates wherever helium is and I reckon he’ll beryllium truly bully for the club.”

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