Liverpool submit huge offer to keep Van Dijk as Ornstein teases big news on Salah, Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool have made a contract offer to club captain Virgil van Dijk as they look to extend his deal beyond its current expiry at the end of this season.

As things stand, the Dutch international will be able to open pre-contract talks with foreign clubs ahead of a free transfer next summer – something Liverpool are desperate to avoid.

Van Dijk has played a major role in Liverpool’s success under new manager Arne Slot, with the Reds currently top of the Premier League and Champions League tables.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Liverpool have officially ‘made a contract offer’ to Van Dijk ‘as they attempt to end uncertainty over his future.’

He is among three crucial players who are out of contract at the end of the season, with the others being Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The report states that Liverpool have already tabled a bid to keep Van Dijk beyond June, but it fell short of the player’s expectations and there has been ‘no breakthrough in terms of salary or contract length.’ Negotiations have been ongoing for some time and continue.

As for Salah, he confirmed last weekend that he is yet to receive a concrete contract offer from Liverpool but that is ‘expected to change soon,’ per Ornstein’s report.

Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, remains a key target for Real Madrid. Conversations between Liverpool and his entourage are ongoing and ‘it remains unclear how things will conclude.’

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Liverpool pushing hard for triple contract breakthrough

We exclusively revealed last month that talks between Liverpool and Van Dijk have been ongoing for some time and an agreement is ‘closer than people realise.’

Sources say that the situation hasn’t changed and all parties are confident of an agreement being reached before the end of the year.

Liverpool are hopeful that they’ll be able to tie Van Dijk down to a two-year extension, which would keep him at Anfield until he’s 35.

We also revealed on Wednesday morning that Liverpool have made ‘concrete steps’ in contract negotiations with Salah in recent days and confidence is growing that an agreement will be reached soon.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Salah has clearly signalled his desire to negotiate with Liverpool, both directly and indirectly – through interviews.

We understand that Salah’s preference would be to sign a two-year extension, contrary to reports claiming that he only wants to commit to one more season on Merseyside.

As for Alexander-Arnold, sources have told TEAMtalk that the feeling at Anfield is that he will sign an extension soon, but no final decision has been made yet.

Liverpool have identified four potential replacements for the England star in case he leaves next summer: RB Salzburg’s Amar Dedic, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, Monaco’s Vanderson and RB Leipzig’s Lutsharel Geertruida.

Liverpool round-up: Zubimendi boost / Quenda battle ignites

Meanwhile, Liverpool are reportedly increasingly confident that they will sign long-term midfield target Martin Zubimendi in January.

Having agreed to meet the €60m (£49.7m, $63m) clause in the midfielder’s contract over the summer and agreeing personal terms with the player, Zubimendi then had a change of heart and decided to stay with Real Sociedad.

However, after we revealed on Tuesday that Liverpool are back on the player’s trail and were ready to re-open talks on a potential deal, reliable reports suggest their chances have now been aided by a significant change of heart from the player over moving to Merseyside.

Zubimendi is now willing to move to the Premier League after all, though it’s claimed he will delay any move until the end of the season and is not willing to abandon his side midway through the current campaign.

In other news, Liverpool are poised to compete with rivals Manchester United for the signing of Sporting CP youngster Geovany Quenda.

The Red Devils have set £50m aside to sign the 17-year-old winger next year, who has been described as ‘Bukayo Saka-like’ and ‘magic.’

He is firmly on Liverpool’s radar too though, so we could potentially see both Premier League giants bid for Quenda in the coming months.

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