da premier bet： With big changes happening behind the scenes at Anfield, the future of several high-profile players is now in doubt

da poker： The 2023-24 season has been a real rollercoaster ride for Liverpool. It's gone better than they would have expected last August, with the Reds lifting the Carabao Cup and getting back into the Champions League, and yet there's an undeniable sense of anti-climax surrounding a side that was challenging for four trophies at one point.

Jurgen Klopp's decision to step down this summer also came as a massive shock, one that many supporters are still struggling to accept, and it's only added to the sense of uncertainty around Anfield right now, with the future of several senior stars now in doubt.

Liverpool certainly don't need a complete overhaul, as Klopp began the rebuilding process last summer. But it's clear that changes will be made, given Michael Edwards is now in charge of football operations at Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Richard Hughes will be Liverpool's new sporting director, and Arne Slot is ready to take over as manager.

So, which high-profile players should Liverpool keep this summer – and which ones should they sell?…

(C)GettyImagesMohamed Salah

The biggest and toughest call of the summer? Salah is Liverpool's talisman, still their most reliable source of goals by some distance, but he's 32 in June and has just one year left on his contract – if the Reds don't sell him now, they'll never get big money for a player that seems destined to eventually end up in Saudi Arabia anyway.

Replacing him will be nigh on impossible. We're talking about a Premier League legend here, one of the finest players ever to grace England's top flight, and the word is that Liverpool are even entertaining the idea of offering Salah a new contract. That's somewhat understandable, given Salah looks like he could continue shining at the highest level for a few more years yet.

But it's hard not to shake the suspicion that cashing in on Salah while they still can makes the most financial sense for everyone involved, particularly as the Egyptian is showing signs of wear and tear for the very first time in his career – and is clearly not the kind of character that would take kindly to being rotated as he gets older.

Verdict: Sell – but only if another massive offer is made from the Middle East.

AdvertisementGettyDarwin Nunez

What on earth to do with Darwin Nunez? The Uruguayan has come on leaps and bounds this season, as underlined by his haul of 31 goal involvements. Only Salah (25) has scored more times than Nunez (18), while they both have 13 assists to their name.

And yet doubts persist. Why? Because Nunez continues to fluff his lines on the game's grandest stages. There have been several decisive displays this season, but 'Captain Chaos' has squandered so many chances in massive matches towards the tail end of the campaign, and he's hardly helped quell the speculation surrounding his future by deleting every image of himself in a Liverpool shirt on his Instagram page – bar his profile pic.

Still, Nunez has done enough to deserve another chance to realise his full potential at Anfield, which is just as well, really, given no club in Europe would be willing to offer anything remotely close to the £64 million ($80m) Liverpool paid for the striker's services in 2022.

Verdict: Keep – unless a big-money bid unexpectedly arrives.

Getty ImagesVirgil van Dijk

Liverpool's defence has collapsed during the final two months of the season, failing to keep a clean sheet in nine consecutive Premier League matches. As club captain and, more importantly, the leader of the back four, Virgil van Dijk has to accept his share of the blame for that rotten record.

However, things would have gone a lot worse without the Dutchman, who has rediscovered something resembling his best form this season. He ranks second at Liverpool for possession won and duels won, while nobody has come close to winning as many headers or making as many blocks.

Van Dijk has also stated that he wants to be part of the new era under Slot, and Netherlands legend Marco van Basten has already argued that the 32-year-old should relish the incoming coach's style of play.

There is, as Van Dijk said himself, "a big transition" coming, and it will definitely run a lot smoother if the veteran centre-back plays an integral role in the inevitable period of adjustment. So, the real question regarding Van Dijk's future is not whether he will stay, but who should play alongside him next season.

Verdict: Keep!

GettyTrent Alexander-Arnold

Just like Salah and Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold has just one year left on his contract, but his situation is very, very different to theirs in that Liverpool's homegrown hero is approaching his peak years and has some of Europe's top clubs sniffing around.

Indeed, the word is that Real Madrid would love to sign Alexander-Arnold this summer. Having already won all there is to win at his hometown club, the 25-year-old may well be tempted by the prospect of joining Jude Bellingham at the Bernabeu, and Florentino Perez would obviously be willing to pay a hefty fee to make it happen.

However, as former striker Daniel Sturridge said on on Sunday, "Liverpool have got to do everything in their power to get Trent to sign on the dotted line." Much is made of his defensive deficiencies, but it's worth noting that even though injury has restricted Alexander-Arnold to just 25 starts in all competitions this season, only two Liverpool players have won possession more times than the ridiculously versatile right-back, while his incredible importance to the attack is underlined by the fact that he ranks second for chances created and successful crosses.

Verdict: Keep at all costs!