Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said the club is in “constant talks” with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold as uncertainty over the trio’s long-term futures continues.
All three players are out of contract at the end of the season and will therefore be free to start negotiating with clubs overseas from Jan. 1.
Slot has largely remained tight-lipped on the matter but has now insisted that he is not concerned by the contract impasse, with his team currently seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a game in hand.
“If we would then it’s probably not the moment to tell you now,” Slot said when asked whether he had an update on negotiations in a news conference ahead Liverpool’s clash with West Ham.
“In general, I don’t talk about contract situations here. It would be a surprise I was the one to announce that one of them have extended.
“It’s clear that from Jan 1., maybe for you guys, things change a lot but they are in constant talks with the club and let’s wait and see what happens. As long as they keep performing like this, the head coach is happy.”
Slot also issued an update on the fitness of injured duo Ibrahima Konaté and Conor Bradley, who have both been sidelined since Liverpool’s victory over Real Madrid in November.
“They will not be back for West Ham United,” the Liverpool boss said. “Then there is a week in between [West Ham and the Manchester United game].
“Let’s see how close they are then. It is difficult to tell you at this moment because they don’t train with the group yet. Hopefully, in the upcoming days they come closer to that situation.
“But then again, Ibou has been out for five or six weeks maybe, Conor just as long and they are in competition with players who are completely fit and doing really well so I have to make the right judgement the moment they are back.”