Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has revealed that the club were prepared to allow Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to leave on free transfers if contract talks had failed last summer, stating that the club would not compromise on its financial principles during negotiations.
Both players entered the final year of their deals before eventually signing extensions at the end of last season, following a protracted period of discussions that continued deep into a title-winning campaign.
Werner, speaking in an extract from Walk On: Inside Arne Slot’s Liverpool by journalist James Pearce, explained that Fenway Sports Group were willing to walk away had the numbers not been right.
The Reds supremo credited sporting director Richard Hughes for handling negotiations with calm authority.
“My impatience is balanced by his patience,” he said.
“I’d call him frequently and say, ‘Richard, how are things going with Mo Salah and his contract?’ and he would say, ‘Tom, it will all be good in the end.’”
The chairman praised Hughes’ approach to dealing with agents and players.
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Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has revealed that the club were prepared to allow Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to leave on free transfers if contract talks had failed last summer, stating that the club would not compromise on its financial principles during negotiations
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“I think all the agents who deal with him would say that he conducts business in a very respectful way. He has a plan and he executes it,” Werner said.
He added that while Liverpool were pleased to secure new deals for Salah and Van Dijk, the club would have backed Hughes had talks collapsed.
“If Richard had called and said, ‘The chasm is too big’, I would have respected that too," he continued. "We don’t meddle, we just provide support and advice from our point of view. There’s a lot of trust.”
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Mohamed Salah has been well off the pace for Liverpool this season
| GETTYThe decision to award new contracts to two players in their mid-30s generated widespread approval among supporters at the time, recognising the pair as central figures in Liverpool’s modern success.
However, the club’s struggles this season have prompted debate over whether Liverpool were right to tie them down long-term.
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney offered a strong view last month, suggesting that neither player had shown the leadership expected of them during a difficult title defence.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show following a 3–1 defeat to Brentford, Rooney argued that Liverpool’s senior stars needed to do more.
“They’ve signed new deals but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season,” he said.
Rooney also suggested that body language from key players can influence the rest of the squad, adding: “If their body language is not right, that affects everyone else.”
Virgil van Dijk's own form has regressed amid Liverpool's inconsistent campaign
| GETTYSalah’s form has been closely scrutinised, particularly given his stunning output last year when he amassed 34 goals and 23 assists across all competitions.
Criticism has also surfaced in Germany, where Bild analysed the start made by £116million summer signing Florian Wirtz and suggested that Salah’s tendency to play individually may have affected the new arrival’s integration.
The publication said: “Salah has provided three assists this season… all for players who have been with the club longer.”
Wirtz is still searching for his first goal or assist in the Premier League after 11 games, while Salah has contributed four goals and two assists over the same period.
Liverpool will hope both players find their rhythm soon, as they look to turn around a campaign that has fallen short of expectations so far.
Their next match is against Nottingham Forest on Saturday (3pm).