Liverpool fans have been left fearing the worst over the futures of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk... because of a calendar.
The trio are all out of contract at the end of the season, and there has been little progress over agreeing extensions.
Van Dijk last month confirmed that he is in talks with the club, but admitted his future remains very much up in the air.
"I can say obviously discussions are ongoing, but I don't know, we will see what happens in the future," Van Dijk said. "My full focus is on Liverpool, wanting to win games that are ahead of me and nothing else.
"What the future will bring I have no idea at the moment. I can only tell you that discussions have been started up and we will see."
Star man Salah set alarm bells ringing recently when seemingly admitting this season was his last.
Speaking on Sky Sports after a 3-0 win over Manchester United in September, he said: "I had a good summer and had a long time to myself to try to stay positive because, as you know, it’s my last year at the club.”
"I just want to enjoy it, and I don’t want to think about it. I feel like I’m free to play football, and then we’ll see what happens next year."
He later added: "Nobody in the club talked to me yet about contracts so I was just like, 'OK, I play my last season and see at the end of the season'."
Contract talks have reportedly begun but still a long way from a resolution.
Alexander-Arnold appears the most likely to leave, with Real Madrid heavily linked with a free transfer as they look to link the right-back up with England team-mate Jude Bellingham.
It has been reported that Liverpool are willing to make Alexander-Arnold the highest-paid English player in the Premier League.
Liverpool putting the three big out of contract stars in the first four months of the 2025 calendar... 👀 pic.twitter.com/AFCa6O2hNX
— Sam Munnery (@SamMunnery) November 20, 2024
But while behind the scenes there is growing confidence at least two of the trio will remain at the club beyond the summer, then those who have mapped out the 2025 calendar appear less so.
The 2025 edition is currently on sale in the official club shop, and the eagle-eyed among us have spotted that Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk have been given February, March and April.
The suggestion being that, should the trio all leave, their faces will not be adorning walls across Merseyside into the autumn and winter months.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker kicks off the year with the January spread, so perhaps fans should be fearing his departure given Giorgi Mamardashvili’s summer arrival.
