'Liverpool should have one contract priority above all else - and it isn't Trent Alexander-Arnold'
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson is in no doubt. "Virgil van Dijk," he says when asked which of the three major contracts the Reds cannot afford to let run down before next summer.
Star forward Mohamed Salah and homegrown hero Trent Alexander-Arnold are the others whose deals expire in 2025 as things stand. But Lawrenson believes the Liverpool captain is the one who must be tied down above all else.
"At least, including this season, three seasons — especially if he has quality around him," Lawrenson tells Liverpool.com when asked how long Van Dijk can maintain his current level. "He is the big one for me in terms of keeping them. They have to keep Van Dijk because you cannot get a replacement for him. I don't know anybody who would be a replacement.
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"Everything about him is very imposing. He is a good organizer and I'm told in the dressing room, he is very strong. He would be the really big one for me to keep — and he is captain. He likes that and he is an unbelievable top player."
In contrast, Lawrenson believes that Alexander-Arnold, comfortably the youngest of the trio who could agree pre-contract agreements with clubs abroad from January 1, might have his eyes set on joining England teammate Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Trent went," he says. "I just have this feeling that his big mate is at Real Madrid. They are on big money anyway and it's a fantastic life that they have. I'm just wondering if he wants to test himself.
"Salah is the other one and I'm not sure with him. If he wants to go and play in Saudi, he would be a king. That might interest him — but keep Virgil and you have a chance. If Trent goes, we've got Conor Bradley."
Every club in the world would like Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer if the opportunity arose. But Lawrenson believes it is a straight choice between Los Blancos or an extended contract at Anfield.
"I don't see where else he is going to go," the Liverpool legend says. "He's an intelligent boy. He will be having his ear bent by his mate at Real Madrid and he might just think Spain for three years... Galactico... all those kind of things... playing in a top team... it would appeal to anybody.
"I don't think they will be able to [convince him to stay]. How much more money does he need? Because he's intelligent, he might think he can go to Real Madrid and play in a team that wins the Champions League every year. They don't play quite as many games and you can live in Spain and enjoy your life.
"He's entitled to do whatever he wants. He's been absolutely fantastic for the club. You can see when Arne Slot brought him off in the first couple of games and he had the hump, which is what you want. He just wants to play.
"England messed him around in the Euros and that didn't help, but do you know a better right-back? I don't. He's one of the best passers currently playing and I think he might find the attraction of playing for Real Madrid really strong. Who wouldn't?"
Losing any of the players for no transfer fee at all would be a big loss for Liverpool — and would mean replacing them without having funds to reinvest in replacements. "If you can get all three, that would be amazing," Lawrenson says. "Trying to replace all three, that would be totally impossible — and with the money we're talking about, I'm not sure they necessarily could.
"Mo [Salah] has been quiet at the moment and he's just waiting to hear where he can go. I'm not saying he's going but he's in that position in life now where his contract is up at the end of the season, he can sit down and let people ring his agent and see how they go. All three are in a fantastic position, they seriously are.
"You would hate to lose anyone. If you lose one, maybe you can cope with it, but if you lost two, that's completely different. It would cost them fortunes to bring people in because you would have to pay transfer fees and wages."
Despite the uncertainty over three key contracts at Liverpool, Lawrenson has been impressed by the work that Slot has done so far. The Reds have only lost one game this season and have only conceded three goals to date in all competitions.
"He's not really changed too much. Why should he? Don't touch it unless it's broken," Lawrenson says. "He's been good. Everyone goes on about the home defeat but Nottingham Forest were brilliant. They were excellent and that was just one of those things.
"The less fuss, the better. I think that will be his agenda: let's keep going. He's very fortunate in that the guy he took over from left them in a fantastic position. The only change is that Slot likes to keep the ball a little bit more, whereas Jurgen Klopp was very much in the other team's faces and things like that."
There is work for Liverpool to do on the contract front but there is still time — 96 days and counting until January 1. And on the pitch, things are going well. "It's seamless at the moment," Lawrenson says. "Slot's doing really well."