The Next Five Deals Liverpool Need to Do After Ryan Gravenberch Contract Extension

Liverpool seemingly cannot earn a moment’s peace on the contracts front, with the club aiming to ensure last year’s mess never plays out again on Merseyside.

The Reds went into the second half of 2024–25 with the futures of three key protagonists unsure. While Virgil van Dijk said little, Mohamed Salah took the opposite approach, opting to apply public pressure on the club. Once Trent Alexander-Arnold signaled his intention to leave amid Real Madrid interest, it was imperative that sporting director Richard Hughes tied the pair down.

The saga, which failed to compromise a title-winning campaign, ended with a largely positive resolution, as two veteran icons remained at Anfield. However, the club will soon have to consider life without Van Dijk and Salah, and Hughes must ensure potential cornerstones of the next great Reds outfit are committed to the cause long-term.

They were proactive with Ryan Gravenberch, who has agreed to a lucrative six-year deal, but he’s surely not the only player Liverpool will want to extend in 2026.

Here are five more contract situations the Reds need to address, ranked by importance.

5. Curtis Jones

The homegrown Curtis Jones has arguably been underused by Arne Slot this season, with the Englishman’s ball security in the build-up phase and capacity to break lines with pinpoint vertical passes among the attributes Liverpool have sorely missed in midfield at times.

Jones can dally in possession and is certainly less effective when used higher upfield, but his versatility is valued by the manager, who’s occasionally been forced to deploy the midfielder at right back.

With 18 months remaining on his contract, Inter and Tottenham Hotspur sniffed around in January, and Liverpool, for a while, seemed open to selling. While no move played out in the winter, Inter are expected to reignite that interest in the summer, and Spurs could certainly do with a player of Jones’s profile if they avoid relegation to the Championship.

Liverpool have some time to sort out the midfielder’s future, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they’re tempted by an offer for their academy graduate’s services.

4. Alisson

With Van Dijk and Salah penning two-year extensions in 2025, Liverpool now risk losing three superstars in one fell swoop in 2027.

At 33, goalkeeper Alisson still has a few good years left in him, with several shot-stoppers enjoying tremendous success as they edge towards 40. However, whether the Brazilian can retain such a high level of performance remains to be seen, with his injury history counting against him.

Still, Alisson remains one of the world’s best goalkeepers and surely has another big contract in him. Liverpool’s succession plan, Giorgi Mamardashvili, is yet to convince, albeit with not much to go on yet, so the Reds may have to reconsider their plans regarding the Brazilian.

Another contract extension may be in the offing.

3. Alexis Mac Allister

Sir Alex Ferguson was a master of ensuring his Manchester United squad never went stale, with steps made at critical junctures to freshen up a Red Devils side that expected to win the league title every year.

Liverpool’s preferred midfield hasn’t changed since last season, and the club may actually view this summer as the perfect time to sell Alexis Mac Allister.

The Argentine has generally been brilliant for the Reds, but he’s disappointed this year, and given that his current deal expires in 2028, Liverpool can still extract maximum value now. Real Madrid, who still haven’t replaced Toni Kroos or Luka Modrić, have only been tenuously linked.

The midfielder’s father recently admitted that there’s been no development on the new contract front, and Mac Allister, who, according to Capology, earns $201,000 (£150,000) weekly, will see Gravenberch’s bumper new deal and potentially believe he’s worth something similar.

Liverpool have a big decision to make over the 27-year-old’s future.

2. Dominik Szoboszlai

No Liverpool supporter would argue that Dominik Szoboszlai hasn’t been their standout performer in a disappointing Premier League title defense.

The Hungarian entered the campaign with his importance to Slot’s side in doubt following the arrival of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, but the German’s acclimatization issues rendered Szoboszlai an imperative figure.

He‘s been utilized here, there and everywhere by Slot, with relentless running and set-piece threat helping uplift a Liverpool team that’s often appeared bereft of inspiration in attack this term.

Szoboszlai is said to be happy in Merseyside and is contracted until 2028. He could demand the world from the Reds, who must be itching to ensure the midfielder is tied down into the 2030s.

1. Ibrahima Konaté

Sorting out a new contract for Szoboszlai may be Liverpool’s priority, given his level of performance this season, but Ibrahima Konaté’s situation is a far more desperate and urgent one.

The Frenchman’s deal expires this summer, and while there have been times in recent months when supporters seemed ready to move on, the center back has continued to offer reminders of how dominant he is at his best.

Losing a defender like Konaté for nothing would be a massive blow for the Reds, especially when you consider Van Dijk’s future and the dearth of current alternatives at the position. Liverpool may require a drastic overhaul at the heart of their defense, with Rennes starlet Jérémy Jacquet arriving in the summer to potentially mitigate his compatriot’s departure.

The Reds are pushing to tempt the defender, who seems content with moving on. It may take a mammoth cash offer to convince Konaté to stay.

The Next Five Deals Liverpool Need to Do After Ryan Gravenberch Contract Extension—Ranked

5. Curtis Jones

4. Alisson

3. Alexis Mac Allister

2. Dominik Szoboszlai

1. Ibrahima Konaté

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