Arne Slot has three transfer problems Liverpool must solve to avoid derailing title chase

There are only six weeks until the January transfer window and the fact there are no gaping issues in the squad is testament to Arne Slot and predecessor Jurgen Klopp. Of course, there is always room to bolster.

Ryan Gravenberch has stepped up so much that there is debate over whether the Reds might be able to survive without recruiting a defensive midfielder. But Liverpool are set to play 11 matches before the end of 2024 and a lot can happen that can change the mindset.

There is also light yet re-emerging worry over how the team would cope on the right flank should Mohamed Salah not be available, with Federico Chiesa not yet up to speed and Harvey Elliott still recovering from a broken foot. But this is being picky.

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Liverpool boast an incredibly balanced squad that is emanating a level of stability not always seen under club hero Klopp. The Reds have enjoyed such an impressive start that some data analysts are now making them favourites for the title.

Slot has been keen to thank Klopp for the squad he left for him, outlining that he has not had to change much aside from a few tweaks - tweaks that are bearing fruit. However, the Dutchman has inherited three transfer issues that must not be left unresolved for much longer.

Six weeks’ time marks the turn of the new year but it also denotes when Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold can speak to overseas clubs and sign pre-contract agreements. Only Van Dijk has publicly confirmed he is in renewal talks.

The ECHO understands Salah wishes to stay at Anfield while Alexander-Arnold says he will see the season out at the very least. But the ambiguity over each player’s future becomes a bigger issue with each week that passes.

Liverpool are currently cantering but can easily cause themselves an unwanted and unnecessary distraction during the second half of the season, should each contract situation rumble on. The last thing the club needs going into a potential title-chasing run-in period is heightened noise about the future of their three star names.

Ultimately, this burden rests with new sporting director Richard Hughes and returning boardroom chief Michael Edwards. However, Slot will be the one facing the questions and in the firing line if contract frustration ensues.

The top brass must balance player demands with club finances but they also have a duty to protect their head coach. By allowing obscurity over the trio’s future to seep further into 2025, they risk derailing a title challenge through distraction. At the very least, it would make the task harder than it already is.

Ahead of the final day home clash with Crystal Palace, Liverpool face Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton in the final batch of games - all tough opponents. Who knows if an FA Cup or Champions League final is also to come.

There is the very real possibility that not all of the trio stay on, with Real Madrid apparently keen on Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool fans will hope each player does agree to a renewal.

But it seems wise to sort out each star’s future - be it stay or leave - in good time ahead of the summer, not least to start sourcing replacements if needed. Otherwise, it could become a self-inflicted thorn in their side that wobbles the stability the team is currently showing.