Arne Slot confirms Virgil van Dijk talks as Liverpool boss offers contract verdict

Arne Slot remains unconcerned about the contract situations of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, although he has confirmed the club has begun talks.

Liverpool faces losing all three players at the end of the season as their contracts run down. With January approaching, the clock is ticking down for the club to get them tied down before they can negotiate pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs.

Van Dijk though confirmed last month that talks are underway over a new deal, although he gave no indication as to how far along he is in those discussions.

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Slot has remained tight-lipped about the situations of all three players, with his title as head coach allowing him to take more of a back seat on contract matters compared to his predecessor. Speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against Brighton though, the Liverpool boss did confirm Van Dijk's talks, while also playing down any concerns over his, Alexander-Arnold and Salah's futures.

“For me, the contract situation could become a problem if the players don’t perform as well as they do at the moment, although then it’s also not sure that IF they don’t perform as good anymore that it has anything to do with their contract situation,” Slot said in his press conference on Friday.

“At the moment, all three of them are in a good place, they all perform really, really well, and there are ongoing discussions between, what Virgil said, the people he had to talk with. And that’s not me, as you know!

“I talk to him about other things. Let’s wait and see. All that he says, I think he’s completely right that he doesn’t exactly know what the future will bring as long as he doesn’t sign the contract.”

Speculation continues over all three players, with Alexander-Arnold being heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, while Saudi Arabia looks to have its eyes on Salah. Van Dijk has been the most open of the trio on his future so far, although it's still no clear at the moment whether the Liverpool captain will extend his stay at Anfield.

"I feel very good, physically, mentally and I am having fun," he says. "What the future brings I have no idea at the moment, but like I said in my previous answer, discussions are ongoing with the right people.

"When it's time to make a decision or whatever, I think you guys [the media] will know it as well. But now, full commitment and focus is on Liverpool and to be successful this season. So we will see."