“Two of the Greatest Players in the World!” – Trev Downey on Liverpool’s Contract Situation | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Summer of Reckoning: Salah, Van Dijk and the Trent Dilemma

As Liverpool approach the twilight of a potentially title-winning season, the conversation shifts from the pitch to the boardroom. On the latest Anfield Index podcast, Trev Downey and Dave Davis delivered a sharp, honest assessment of what lies ahead for the Reds—and it’s anything but straightforward.

Keeping Salah and Van Dijk is “the only way we can be confident”

Trev Downey left no ambiguity about the importance of Liverpool retaining two of their most iconic players. “It’s the only way we can be confident of another season where we’re competitive for everything,” he insisted, stressing that both Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk remain pivotal to any title ambitions under Arne Slot.

Downey added: “These are two of the greatest players in the world right now, arguably in their position of their generation, who are telling you they want to stay at Anfield.”

The idea of voluntarily moving on from both players was ridiculed in classic Downey style: “This is an elective procedure to lop off a limb… and then you’ve decided, you know what would be good? If we balanced it up and lopped off a leg as well on the far side.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold: Contract Smoke, Madrid Fire?

Dave Davis raised the point about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future, suggesting the “smoke without fire” cliché might no longer apply. “There isn’t this much smoke without an actual fire,” he said, referencing the increasing links with Real Madrid. Downey didn’t disagree: “The lad wants to go, you know. It’s as simple as that.”

Photo: IMAGO

Despite his gratitude for Trent’s contributions—“when we had him he was the best in his position”—Trev made it clear he wouldn’t be sending good luck cards to Madrid: “I’m not going to wish him well at Real Madrid… that’s completely anathema to me.”

Squad Shake-up: Who Stays, Who Goes?

The podcast laid bare the sheer scale of potential departures. Downey and Davis speculated on a raft of players whose futures appear uncertain—among them Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Andy Robertson, Harvey Elliott, and even Alisson.

On Nunez, Davis was blunt: “I like Darwin but he has to do it. If he’s not doing it then he’s up for grabs.”

Photo: IMAGO

With regards to Andy Robertson, Downey noted: “He’s a very proud man. If he got the impression he was going to be second fiddle… I think he’d like to go off and be the main man. Go and be captain of Celtic or something like that.”

Meanwhile, the growing narrative around Liverpool’s transfer model was captured with frustration. “If there’s not a nerd-based signing… what the hell was the point of going back to all this model with Michael Edwards overseeing it all?” Downey asked pointedly.

Uncertainty Amid Success

Despite the swirling uncertainty, Liverpool are chasing their 20th league title. Yet Davis summed up the contrast perfectly: “There’s never felt that juxtaposition of—we’re gonna win the title—and we should feel strong in that sense, but there is a question mark with varying strength against a majority of the squad.”

The podcast ended with a stark conclusion: “I don’t see how it’s anything but a massive summer,” said Downey. “We’re talking here about very good footballers… all of them have big question marks in their head.”

The decisions made this summer—especially concerning Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold—will define not only the next season, but potentially the trajectory of Liverpool under Arne Slot.