Liverpool can spend big in the summer should the right players be available to bolster Arne Slot's ranks — though much might depend on the outcome of the three major contract decisions that still need to be made with the clock ticking.

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will all be leaving for nothing as things stand because their deals are due to expire. But Liverpool has the cash to tie them down and spend substantially in the market, according to one soccer finance expert.

"I'm not sure how big the pot is or whether it's there and ringfenced but there's nothing to suggest Liverpool can't spend," Dr. Dan Plumley told Liverpool.com on behalf of Bet Ideas. "The finances are in good shape and they have had really good revenue levels in recent years.

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"There's no issue with PSR. There's the bigger issue with the ownership group, what they're doing, and multi-club partnerships, but there's a lot of positivity on and off the pitch. They're certainly in good shape to spend.

"It's likely we'll see some movement in the summer given Slot has now been fully embedded and they are flying in the league and the Champions League. I'm sure there's plans in place for the summer and if you look at the finances, I can't see any reason why they can't spend."

Liverpool opted not to buy many players in Slot's first summer, bringing in only Federico Chiesa and agreeing a deal for goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili ahead of 2025. "It's really strategic in the way they are operating," Dr. Plumley said.

"That goes back to the ownership: they have a clear vision of what they want to do. There has been calls for spending at times when they haven't gone into the market but if you look at where they are right now on the pitch, that seems justified.

"You do have to keep pushing and move forward. We've seen them do that on the pitch and it's likely we'll see them do that off the pitch as well now the new manager is in."

Regarding the contract situations, while the money is there to agree extensions, there could be knock-on impacts if Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold are handed mega money. Other players — Ibrahima Konate, say, who confirmed recently that he has been offered new terms — could then demand more as a result.

"I think it is a question mark," Dr. Plumley continued. "It's fair to say that's a bigger consideration now than players in or out in terms of transfers. Even if you look at Salah in his 30s, he still has good years in him.

"Looking from the outside in, I don't think this is a situation where they can't stretch to [Salah's demands] if they feel they want or need to. It doesn't seem to me that will be a particular problem.

"The other side of that is that each of those players will command a significant transfer fee. If they are going to go, you would want to get good value for them in the market.

"We have seen it happen at other clubs. You have to set your stall out as a club to say 'this is how we're doing it'. There could be a knock-on effect and that is the bigger picture. You do have to consider the squad disruption internally as well. It is another layer to the argument that needs considering."