A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as Alan Shearer explains why the Reds are in ‘danger’ and Arne Slot is warned why he might be sacked in mere ‘weeks’ at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp admits Virgil van Dijk and Diogo Jota could miss Liverpool vs Tottenham
Jurgen Klopp has conceded that Liverpool might be without Virgil van Dijk and Diogo Jota at home to Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday. But the Merseyside natives could welcome Conor Bradley back from his ankle injury. The right-back has had to sit out their past four matches.
Spurs visit Anfield this weekend as Klopp oversees his penultimate fixture on home soil with the 56-year-old coach stepping down. But Van Dijk and Jota will both need late fitness tests after missing training this week. Jota is yet to train since sustaining an injury against Fulham.
Jota sustained a knock at Craven Cottage a mere four games into his return from a collateral ligament tear. Van Dijk, meanwhile, has not missed a Premier League fixture this season due to an injury. But Klopp admits he may be without both stars when Liverpool host Tottenham.
“Diogo is not in team training yet,” Klopp noted in his press conference this Friday. “Conor is. Virgil wasn’t [available] the whole week yet, probably [the defender will do] part of parts of team training today. So, we have to see what we can do there. That’s it.”
Read more about what Klopp has said about Van Dijk and Jota’s injury situations, here.
Glen Johnson warns Arne Slot his Liverpool reign could be ‘over’ within ‘four weeks’
Glen Johnson has now warned Arne Slot that his time at Liverpool could be ‘over’ within just ‘four weeks’. The Feyenoord boss is in line to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield this summer after the Reds reached an agreement with his Eredivisie team for the terms of his departure.
Liverpool will send Feyenoord an initial £7.7m plus £1.7m in add-ons to break Slot out of his contract. The Merseyside outfit are now finalising personal terms with the 45-year-old after Klopp chose to step down. But Johnson fears Slot’s reign may end in only a matter of weeks.
Former England right-back Johnson fears Slot faces no chance of succeeding in replacing Klopp if he cannot get the Liverpool first-team on his side. He even feels Slot must have their players’ support within his first two weeks in charge or face doubts over his future in charge.
“It’s important that he gets the boys on his side,” Johnson told Squawka. “He needs to get their attention [and] get their belief as soon as possible. Because if he hasn’t got that in four weeks, it isn’t going to work, maybe even less, maybe two weeks.
“They’re big characters. If he loses the dressing room in the first four weeks, it’s over. The players have to respect him and naturally, they will do. They’re all good guys.”
Read more about what Johnson has said about Slot replacing Klopp at Liverpool, here.
Alan Shearer feels Liverpool are in a ‘dangerous’ place with Mohamed Salah’s contract
Premier League legend Alan Shearer feels Liverpool are in a ‘dangerous’ place after allowing Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold to run their contracts down. The trio will all start the last year of their existing terms in July and are not guaranteed to renew.
Salah last penned new terms on Merseyside since July 2022 but Van Dijk has not agreed to a new contract since August 2021 and Alexander-Arnold last put pen to paper in July 2021. So, they can leave Liverpool in a tricky spot without agreeing to sign extensions this summer.
Liverpool already fended off fierce pursuits from teams in Saudi Arabia looking to sign Salah last year. But the Reds now face also having to resist interest from Real Madrid in Alexander-Arnold, per Fabrizio Romano. And Shearer claims Liverpool only have themselves to blame.
“Salah, who was courted doggedly by Al Ittihad, last summer is about to enter the final year of his contract,” Shearer told The Athletic. “The same applies to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, and all three have been absolutely key, iconic, fantastic players under Klopp.
“I’m not privy to where negotiations stand but it’s a dangerous position for Liverpool to be in. Those players will want to plan. They have to look after themselves.”
Read more about what Shearer has said about Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, here.