Arne Slot will not need telling that, for Liverpool, tying down both Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk makes The Reds’ summer planning a whole lot easier
Because, had both players departed on free transfers – albeit Trent Alexander-Arnold is still expected to join Real Madrid – Slot’s second summer at the helm would have been dominated by Liverpool’s attempts to replace the seemingly irreplaceable
Fortunately, as Salah and Van Dijk commit their futures to the Anfield outfit, the Premier League leaders can instead shift their focus to signing players not intended replace two living legends, but to complement and grow alongside them over the coming years.
RTK understands that Mohamed Salah could stay at Liverpool until 2028. Van Dijk is expected to put pen to paper on an initial two-year deal himself, with a 12-month extension clause also likely to be discussed.
The prospect of Dean Huijsen learning from from one of – if not the – finest centre-half in the modern Premier League era is a mouth-watering one too as Liverpool enter talks with Bournemouth’s £50 million Spain international.
Andoni Iraola reacts as Liverpool open talks with Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen
According to the ever-reliable David Ornstein, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have all held discussions with Huijsen’s camp over the last week.
Still only 19, the former Juventus starlet has been one of the breakout talents of the Premier League campaign. And while Dean Huijsen is not closing the door to Real Madrid, Ornstein is leaning towards a switch between one English club and another being the most likely scenario during the summer of 2025.
Not that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is keen to oxygenate the fire any more than necessary.
Sitting tenth, The Cherries are still within a shot of securing European football for the very first time. Iraola is desperate to keep Huijsen focused on the task at hand, then, with fellow surprise-packages Fulham to come on Monday night.
“My only concern with Dean is he keeps his focus here,” Iraola explained during his Friday press conference. “I see he trains very well. He’s very focused on improving individually, improving us as a team collectively. He knows we have seven very important games ahead of us and I see him in a really good place.
“No, I don’t think the noise around is affecting him. I see him in a good place.
I try not to start thinking in the problems of the summer now. I have enough problems now and I have seven important games to play and we are fighting for important things.
“I’m not thinking [about] these things. I know that you speak but, for me, the focus is Fulham on Monday. I really don’t think in the things that may happen or may not or we don’t know.
“That’s my focus.”
Liverpool want to agree Ibrahima Konate deal alongside Virgil van Dijk
The Amsterdam-born Huijsen, having only made his senior debut for the Spanish national team last month, is understood to have a £50 million release clause in his Bournemouth contract. A substantial sum, yes, but also potentially worth every penny given the teenager’s potential and longevity.
Liverpool are hoping to tie down Ibrahima Konate, too, as Arne Slot looks to lock down his central defensive options for the next few seasons.
Slot feels that Konate has ‘improved’ during the manager’s debut season at Anfield, even if last week’s 3-2 defeat at Fulham was a reminder of how much he still has to learn.
“Ibou has improved on the ball,” the former Feyenoord boss says. “Not that he was bad [before]! He was France international who played World Cup final!
“[But] he has improved in his build up.”