Liverpool transfer news as Mo Salah in 'advanced' negotiations and Virgil van Dijk 'close'
Liverpool remain top of both the Premier League and Champions League standings but have made a sloppy start to 2025, winning just one of four games.
That singular win came against League Two opposition as Liverpool beat Accrington Stanley 4-0 in the FA Cup, as the Reds have settled for two Premier League draws and a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup. Just like the summer transfer window, it's been a quiet one for Liverpool, with more emphasis on outgoings than potential new signings.
The majority of the noise has come from Saudi Arabia, as Liverpool received and rejected a verbal $85 million bid from Al-Hilal for striker Darwin Nunez. However, the Saudi champions are also eyeing Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, and Liverpool is running out of time to extend their contracts.
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The only question Liverpool fans want answering before the summer is where will Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Van Dijk be next season? All three superstars are out of contract in the summer and eligible to leave the club for free if nothing is signed between now and June 30.
It's becoming more likely that Alexander-Arnold, 26, will leave the club following heavy interest from Real Madrid. However, there was optimism that Salah and Van Dijk would stay due to both players being older, but that belief is now fading also.
Salah and Van Dijk close to Al-Hilal moves
It's not just Nunez that Al-Hilal is pursuing from Liverpool. According to La TV Dello Sport, the Saudi club is in 'very advanced' negotiations with Salah ahead of next season.
KSA Sports channel host, Khaled Al-Shenaif, has also claimed that Salah's move is '99 percent' complete and Van Dijk will join him in Saudi Arabia. "According to the information we have, Al-Hilal president Fahad bin Nafel and [Saudi Pro League vice chairman] Saad Al Lazeez are currently in London to finalize the signings of a 2003-born player and Mohamed Salah," Al-Shenaif said.
"Salah is 99 percent an Al-Hilal player, while Virgil van Dijk is very close," he added. "Everything has been agreed upon; the only thing left is for both players to sign. This transfer will take place over the summer, before the Club World Cup."
Al-Hilal is looking to make major changes as star player Neymar is out of contract in the summer and has already been left unregistered for Saudi Pro League action, effectively ending his stint with the team. Neymar is linked with a move to MLS, but Al-Hilal is looking to replace him with Salah and also sign Van Dijk to provide stability.
It's unknown whether Al-Hilal would also sign Nunez after making a verbal offer for the Uruguayan striker. However, with Neymar set to exit, the Saudi club wants to sign a new superstar as soon as possible.
