Arne Slot may have made a bright start to his Liverpool tenure, but there remain some big issues on the horizon, namely the contract situation surrounding three of his biggest stars.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and captain Virgil van Dijk are all in the last year of their contracts and could leave the club for nothing next summer if they don't agree to new deals.
It's a worrying situation according to former Reds striker Michael Owen, who discussed the predicament whilst speaking exclusively to DAZN, courtesy of AceOdds.
Owen said: "Well, that's an ongoing process really. It's quite worrying that three of Liverpool's best players have all got eight or nine months left on their contract. Taking them all in isolation, each player is different for different reasons.
"Someone like Trent for example is at the absolute peak of his powers. He's young and homegrown and part of the fabric of the club and you wouldn't want to lose him because of all those things and he's an amazing player. However, if he's ever going to move then virtually every single team is a step down.
"You could argue that the only team that could be a realistic move would be Real Madrid. An exceptional club, a total change, not going to anybody, any rival in the Premier League.
"Probably Real Madrid are going to need it right back pretty soon. He's big friends with Jude Bellingham. You can see why people have put two and two together there.
"Really, that is in my eyes the only possible option for him, either staying at Liverpool or potentially going there. We will see."
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Whilst the former England striker can only see one possible destination for Alexander-Arnold, the options are less clear for Van Dijk and Salah, who are at the other end of their careers. Salah has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, but Owen believes it will depend on how this season pans out.
"Salah and Van Dijk are probably different types obviously than Trent," he added.
"Many years now at the club, great players, and great servants. Do they want one final big payday, maybe going to Saudi or something like that?
"I know in Salah's case there's been mentions of that. But the thing with being a Liverpool player is you're only going sideways or down the majority of the time. I can envisage, as I say, maybe a Saudi for Salah, but I can't really envisage anything else.
"I don't think Real Madrid are in desperate need of someone like that. I look at alternatives and I just really can't see that many. Who knows, but it is quite worrying when three of the best players are within the last year of their contract. That's not a great place to be.
"But again, I think the manager and the way that Liverpool plays the next few months might play a big role in where to go, if they go anywhere."
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