Mo Salah: Arne Slot reaches colossal decision on Liverpool contract ...

Liverpool have reached a firm decision over the future of Mo Salah amid claims of a fresh blockbuster bid arriving for his services from Saudi Arabia – while a player many feel is best placed to replace him at Anfield also having dropped a major update on his chances of a summer transfer.

A new era is underway on Merseyside with Arne Slot stepping into the very sizeable shoes left behind by Jurgen Klopp. Picked for his similarities to his predecessor, the Dutchman will be hoping to hit the ground running at Liverpool and help the club build on last season’s third-placed finish and Carabao Cup triumph.

If the Reds are to improve under Slot, the Dutchman will likely need a few key signings to strengthen his pool and add a sprinkling of additional quality to his ranks.

With that in mind, sources have told TEAMtalk that the Reds hope to sign a left-sided centre-half and a holding midfielder, with the failure to properly replace Fabinho last summer seen as an area of weakness by the new Reds boss.

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However, the retention of their top stars is also vital to the Liverpool cause too. And worryingly, with all of Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk all falling out of contract next summer, speculation over the trio potentially leaving has done the rounds this summer.

Indeed, Real Madrid are strongly keen on a swoop for Alexander-Arnold and the reigning European champions are very much keeping abreast of the No 66’s situation around his renewal.

Despite that, sources have indicated to TEAMtalk that Liverpool remain calm over links to the Bernabeu for Alexander-Arnold and remain confident of agreeing an extension with him in due course and despite claims he could wait and see how the Reds start under Slot before committing to a new deal.

The Reds, though, also have major decisions to make on Salah and Van Dijk, who are the club’s top-two earners, respectively. Given their advancing years – Salah turned 32 last month and Van Dijk was 33 on July 8, the Reds have a major decision to make on the pair, who, despite both enjoying excellent seasons last time out, are very much now in the autumn of their careers.

Salah certainly represents a dilemma for Liverpool. The Reds turned down a record £150m offer for his services last summer from Al-Ittihad and a fresh offer, with just a year left on his deal, would give Slot and CEO of football Michael Edwards a huge decision to make.

However, according to the Liverpool Echo, there is a belief that the club have decided against selling the talismanic forward, as things stand.

To that end, it is believed they will offer the 211-goal Reds forward a new two-year deal on top of his current arrangement and potentially tying the player to Anfield until summer 2027.

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Salah’s demands to extend his stay are not yet known though Liverpool are prepared for the fact that Salah could yet ask for a rise on his current £350,000 a week deal and in light of the demand for his services from Al-Ittihad, who are prepared to give the player a deal on par with Cristiano Ronaldo’s eye-watering £1.3m a week package.

Obviously Liverpool will not go anywhere near that figure, nor would Salah expect them to, but there may be some talking to do before an agreement is reached. However, the intentions of Slot and Liverpool are clear and – at this stage – they are committed to keeping him next summer and beyond.

Meanwhile, Edwards and new sporting director Richard Hughes have been doing their due dilligence on would-be successors for Salah and knowing that one day, whenever that may be, the Egyptian’s days at Anfield will be over.

And one man strongly linked with the Reds over recent months is PSV winger Johan Bakayoko.

The Belgium winger has just enjoyed an excellent season for Peter Bosz’s side, who romped their way to the Eredivisie title, with Bakayoko scoring 14 goals and adding another 12 assists from 48 appearances in all competitions.

And while any exit would reportedly set his suitors back a Dutch record fee of €50m (£42.2m), it is the Merseysiders who have been strongest linked with his services.

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Now the winger, discussing his future with Eindhoven paper Dagblad, has conceded for the first time that he could be prepared to move on this summer, though only for a side capable of winning trophies.

“If I were to leave, it would only be to a club that plays for trophies, just like PSV,” Bakayoko said. “Becoming champion is what I want, and to win the Champions League. I have the qualities for that. I am ready for the top, but PSV is also a top club, especially if many players from last season stay.”

The 21-year-old added: “It is also possible that I will leave next year, but I still have to discuss it carefully with my agent. It will partly depend on PSV, where I will play next season.”

Bakayoko’s contract at the Philips Stadion runs until summer 2026.