On November 8, local time, Liverpool defeated Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park. Captain Van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson both played the full match. Both of their contracts are set to expire at the end of this season, and Alisson explicitly stated after the match that he is willing to stay. The Athletic published an analysis stating that both players are still key to Liverpool, but with Salah's early departure after his contract extension, the club needs to carefully weigh contract duration and salary structure.
So far this season, Van Dijk and Alisson have played every minute of Liverpool's Premier League matches, and both will get a rest during this international break. Van Dijk withdrew from the Netherlands squad for matches against Greece and Germany due to a minor muscle injury in recent weeks. Brazil coach Ancelotti did not call up Alisson, as he plans to use two friendly matches against Japan and Singapore to evaluate young players.
Starting with the home match against Manchester United on November 22, Liverpool will play 11 matches in 39 days, so rest for the two veterans is good news for the team. In the last international break, Isak, Gakpo, and Szoboszlai all returned to Liverpool with injuries after participating in the Nations League, which cost manager Andoni Iraola a considerable price.
The 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace once again highlighted the importance of Van Dijk and Alisson. Liverpool had an inconsistent first half but did not pay a heavy price for it and controlled the game in the second half. After the match, both were asked about their contracts during interviews at Selhurst Park.
Alisson said: "I would love to stay. It depends on many factors, and also on the specific situation, but my own wish is to stay. I want to play at the highest level for as long as possible, I still yearn to win titles, and I also want to perform well. My agent is communicating with the club."
Upon hearing Alisson's statement, Van Dijk said: "That's what he said? I feel good, but the focus isn't on me right now. I'm not in a hurry at all, let's see what happens for the rest of this season. There's nothing new, and I don't feel any pressure."
A similar situation occurred two years ago. In the season when Slot led the team to win the Premier League title, the contract issues of Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold almost spanned the entire season. It wasn't until April 2025 that Salah and Van Dijk each renewed their contracts for two years. Shortly thereafter, Alexander-Arnold's intention to leave his boyhood club and join Real Madrid gradually became clear.
This time, only 51 days remain until Van Dijk and Alisson can pre-sign contracts with overseas clubs, but the contract renewal issue is unlikely to be resolved quickly. For all parties, it is a reasonable choice to first observe the situation in the coming weeks and months. The club has a good relationship with both players, and there is mutual respect; Sporting Director Julian Ward is also in communication with both of their teams.
Given their status at Liverpool, external calls for the club to do its utmost to retain them will grow louder. Ward needs to set aside emotional factors and formulate renewal terms based on the competitive value they can still provide to the team after next summer. Should it be a one-year or two-year extension? Considering their age, should their basic salary be lowered and bonuses tied to appearances increased? Will the players accept this? If other clubs make lucrative offers, how will the situation change?
Van Dijk will turn 36 in July next year, and Alisson will celebrate his 35th birthday a few months later. It is difficult for the club to judge when to bid farewell to meritorious players. While there is now a lot of data to assist decision-making, changes in a player's form are still difficult to predict accurately.
Salah scored 34 goals in the 2024-25 season, making it seem like a natural decision to keep him as the highest-paid player in the club's history. But last season, his form declined significantly. In the later period of Slot's tenure, the team's overall operation was not smooth, which also affected Salah's performance. Even so, it was reasonable for him to be dropped from the starting lineup last November.
After Salah's relationship with Slot broke down, Liverpool agreed to his request to terminate the final year of his contract early. He joined Turkish club Trabzonspor on a free transfer shortly after turning 34. Salah eventually received a fitting farewell at Anfield, but this partnership should not have ended this way.
The careers of center-backs and goalkeepers are usually longer than those of wingers. However, if Van Dijk or Alisson's form declines significantly, it is hard to imagine them being willing to stay and accept a significantly reduced role. From a financial perspective, this would also not be cost-effective for the club.
Aside from one costly mistake in the Champions League home match against Villarreal, Van Dijk has performed exceptionally well this season. Since being rested in an away game against Brighton & Hove Albion in May 2025, after Liverpool had already secured the league title, he has not missed a single minute of the team's Premier League matches. Andoni Iraola's tactical system demands a lot from him, and Van Dijk is still able to drive his teammates around him.
Alisson's overall performance is not as outstanding as Van Dijk's, and his ball distribution still causes concern, but his saves against Crystal Palace and his control of the penalty area once again demonstrated his quality. In the previous three seasons, he missed a total of 32 Premier League matches due to recurring hamstring injuries and other reasons. So far this season, he has remained healthy and played every minute in both the Premier League and the Champions League. If he can maintain such attendance, he will have a stronger case for contract renewal.
After Robertson's departure, Alisson became one of the vice-captains appointed by Andoni Iraola, and he readily embraced this responsibility. Like Van Dijk, he is highly respected in the dressing room. The leadership roles they play on and off the field, and the example they set for their teammates, are all factors the club needs to consider when deciding whether to renew their contracts.
Liverpool also needs to consider potential successors. The 21-year-old French center-back Jérémy Jacquet has had an excellent start at Anfield, but he also admitted that he was lucky to partner with Van Dijk. The 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni, and the 18-year-olds Ifeanyi Nduka and Mor Talla Ndiaye are all highly anticipated, but are still in the experience-accumulation phase.
Joe Gomez's contract is also set to expire next summer, and Liverpool also needs to decide whether to buy out Ronald Araujo, who is on loan from Barcelona, for 55 million euros. Considering the personnel situation at center-back, and Van Dijk still being at the top level, it is hard to imagine that saying goodbye to him in May next year would be a reasonable decision.
As for Alisson, his footwork may not be as good as it once was, but he is still Liverpool's most comprehensive goalkeeper, with clear advantages. Giorgi Mamardashvili has improved but has not yet proven that he can be a long-term successor. Would the 26-year-old Georgian international goalkeeper be willing to be a backup for another year? It seems unlikely. Liverpool also has to consider 18-year-old goalkeeper Luca Brouwers. The club reached a 30 million pound transfer agreement with Genk in September, and this young goalkeeper will join next summer.
Van Dijk joined from Southampton in January 2018, and six months later, Alisson also arrived at Liverpool from Roma. Their arrivals filled key positions for Klopp's Liverpool, helping the team reach new heights. In 2019, Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid to win the Champions League. Among the starting players in that final, only these two remain at the club.
Only when they wave goodbye at Anfield will an era truly end. Next May, it seems too soon.