Liverpool have not been perfect under Andoni Iraola this season, but there’s no question that the Reds are improving after last year’s staggering fall-off.
It was another ambitious summer transfer window on Merseyside, but Liverpool still feel imbalanced, some distance away from Premier League champions Arsenal (both in proportion to their standings in the division and the state and balance of their respective squads).
Once again, Liverpool need to make some big signings in 2027, but they should also consider keeping one or two of their veterans on the books for a little longer, with Alisson Becker eager to extend his stay at Anfield.
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Why Liverpool need to extend Alisson’s contract
“I’m happy to stay,” Alisson said when asked about his future at Liverpool. The Brazilian shot-stopper is out of a deal this summer, having played 347 games and won the whole gamut of silverware since joining Liverpool from AS Roma for £67m in 2018.
Liverpool had just lost the Champions League final against Real Madrid, and they had six months prior seen Philippe Coutinho leave for Barcelona in a record-breaking move.
The 34-year-old is no longer in his prime, but he remains one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation, with more to give. He has saved 71% of his shots faced in the Premier League this term, commanding and still capable of a sublime save.
With uncertainty around Giorgi Mamardashvili’s future at the club, and the acceptance that teenager Lucca Brughmans will be a work in progress, a deal having been agreed to sign the 18-year-old from Genk for £30m in 2027, it makes a lot of sense for Alisson to remain at the club for another year.
He wants this, and he deserves it. Liverpool need him. Technical director Julian Ward must navigate a winding course in securing for Alisson a suitable financial package, but it’s worth persisting with.
And he’s not the only veteran to consider. Virgil van Dijk is also into his final year on English shores, and he too could offer something next year.
It will not be lost on FSG that they gave Mohamed Salah a bumper new deal at the end of Arne Slot’s first season in charge and he went on to give Liverpool anything but bang for their buck.
Could they repeat the same mistake with Van Dijk? The skipper turns 36 at the end of the season, but there’s no doubt that he’s still performing as one of the best centre-backs in Europe, imperious alongside the likes of Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo this season.
The Netherlands captain is one of the Premier League’s greatest defenders. When he hangs up his boots, he’ll be headed for the Hall of Fame, and no mistake, but perhaps not just yet.
Van Dijk’s experience and know-how sets him apart from the rest. His tutoring would be significant for the likes of Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, who has played only once since joining from Genoa for £27m in 2026, recovery from an ACL injury suffered on his debut now reaching the final stages.
|
Virgil van Dijk’s Premier League Form |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per 90) |
25/26 |
26/27 |
|
Matches (starts) |
38 (38) |
10 (10) |
|
Clean sheets |
10 |
4 |
|
Goals + Assists |
6 + 0 |
0 + 0 |
|
Touches* |
85.8 |
81.2 |
|
Accurate passes* |
65.4 (89%) |
60.7 (88%) |
|
Chances created* |
0.3 |
0.5 |
|
Possession lost* |
8.6 |
8.5 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
2.3 |
3.5 |
|
Tackles + interceptions* |
1.3 |
2.0 |
|
Clearances* |
7.2 |
7.1 |
|
Duels won* |
5.7 (73%) |
4.8 (75%) |
It doesn’t seem likely that Van Dijk will nosedive in form any time soon, and Liverpool have enough options now to renew his deal and not overburden him.
These would be exciting deals, but Liverpool are actually in talks to extend a contract which would be more exciting still.
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Liverpool in talks to seal major agreement
Liverpool need midfielders. The current crop aren’t quite cutting the mustard, but in Trey Nyoni, Iraola might just have the perfect player project to lift his outfit up toward Arsenal and the best of the best in the Champions League.
He’s a work in progress, but the 19-year-old is undoubtedly brilliant. Smooth and stylish on the ball, Nyoni has established himself in Liverpool’s first team this season, starting six times in all competitions and looking “outrageously good” already, says prominent fan voice Phil Blundell.
Extending Van Dijk and Alisson’s deals would be a rush of dopamine for a Liverpool side who could do with their guidance, but it’s even more important than Nyoni’s long-term future is being committed to Liverpool.
According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are close to a breakthrough in contract talks with Nyoni, having been locked in talks with his representatives for months.
Nyoni is on the roster until 2030, but the first professional contract that he signed in 2030 needs an upgrade, reflecting the value he now brings to Iraola’s first team. FSG are pulling all the right stops, and the feeling at Anfield is one of optimism and expectation.
Liverpool lost against Arsenal at Anfield, but Nyoni impressed on that day. Despite limited action, the teenager is shining in the Premier League, ranking among the top 7% of positional peers for line-breaking passes (18.48) per 90. This is exactly the kind of central profile Liverpool have been looking for.
He scored as Liverpool lost to Fenerbahce in the Premier League, and he deserved that goal too. He already looks an upgrade on the out-of-form Ryan Gravenberch, and though Liverpool will continue to chase elite midfielders, they clearly have a superstar in the making already.
Liverpool need to secure his long-term future and ward off inevitable suitors. Nyoni is the future of Iraola’s Liverpool midfield.
