Mohamed Salah’s winner against Brighton, which took Liverpool top of the Premier League table, was a timely reminder of what the Reds could lose if contract talks do not go well.
Forward Salah, and defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, have been three of the rocks of Liverpool’s recent era of success – and yet in nine weeks they could all sign deals elsewhere to leave the club for free.
The trio are all out of contract at the end of the season and it comes the season after legendary manager Jurgen Klopp left the club.