Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk now putting Liverpool contract approach to ultimate test

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool

Via echo

Anyone who has endured a seemingly interminable transfer saga will know how difficult it can be to bring players into a club.

But the opposite end of a career can be equally fraught with problems.

Determining the ideal time to part ways can be a particularly tricky business.

For some, there is often little say over the matter other than ensuring top dollar is paid for targets who are wanted by leading clubs.

But for those nearer the top of the food chain such as Liverpool, knowing when to move on players or allow them to run down their contracts

And that approach is being brought into sharp focus once again this season with the continued speculation over the futures of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Both have been outstanding servants for Liverpool, with their contribution this season as leading goalscorer and virtually ever-present skipper

However, they are among the Reds' top earners in terms of salary and, with Salah 33 and Van Dijk 34 at the start of next season

The duo have made clear their desire to stay and that Liverpool are engaged in ongoing contract negotiations suggests that, in an ideal world, both will extended their Anfield commitments.

The ongoing impasse, though, indicates that won't come at any cost.

while the Liverpool hierarchy debate the many variables that will decide both the length and, perhaps more importantly, value of each deal,

it's worth bearing in mind the Reds' past record with such judgement calls.

by and large, Liverpool have called it right in recent years - even when they haven't been the most universally popular calls at the time.

While eyebrows were raised when Gini Wijnaldum was allowed to leave on a free transfer in 2021, the Dutchman's subsequent lessening impact at Paris Saint-Germain, Roma and Al-Ettifaq suggested it was the right move.

So too Sadio Mane 12 months later when Liverpool were happy to negotiate a deal with Bayern Munich for the forward.

In 2023, the Reds offered Roberto Firmino only a reduced contract and the Brazilian chose to leave,

That same summer, James Milner wasn’t even offered a deal with Liverpool judging the veteran's race had been run.

More recently, Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip retired soon after being released,

while Naby Keita had a difficult time with Werder Bremen and is now aiming to kickstart his career on loan at Ferencvaros in Hungary under former Liverpool striker Robbie Keane.

There has only really been one time when the Reds were caught out. From the early stages of the 2022/23 season, it became evident the intensity of playing in a Klopp midfield had caught up with Fabinho.

All of these players were important cogs during the recent era of success at Anfield

None, though, have had quite the same impact as either Salah or Van Dijk over a longer period

Even legends have to leave at some point.