Liverpool could get rid of BOTH Mohamed Salah & Virgil van Dijk to 'indulge Alexander Isak & Florian Wirtz' as Stan Collymore foresees major summer transfer exits

A record-shattering transfer splurge was overseen by Liverpool ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, with German player Wirtz being acquired for £116 million ($155m) and Swedish striker Isak for £125m ($168m). They have both struggled for form and fitness, but remain important pieces of a much bigger puzzle.

Liverpool are looking to remain competitive for the grandest of prizes at home and abroad, with a regular freshening up of collective ranks required along the way. That means moving high-profile players in and out of Anfield.

Modern day greats Salah and Van Dijk both committed to new contracts last season that are due to run until 2027. Egyptian superstar Salah has, however, seen questions asked of his ongoing presence after aiming an explosive rant against the Reds, while Dutch defender Van Dijk will turn 35 in July.

It could be that neither forms part of Slot’s plans in 2026-27. Collymore can see that scenario playing out, with some huge decisions needing to be made on Merseyside that take sentimentality out of the equation.

Quizzed on whether Salah remains a club legend alongside the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Kevin Keegan and Steven Gerrard, following his shock outburst, ex-Reds frontman Collymore - speaking in association with BetWright betting - told GOAL: “I think he’s up there with them. His numbers add up, his trophies add up. I think he's not a victim of modernity, but he knows that, in this day and age with a camera stuck in front of you and people filing live on social media, that any words go around the world very quickly. 

“Don’t forget, Liverpool is a global club. A lot of those supporters that don’t go and watch week in, week out would turn around and say ‘I’ve watched him the last four or five games and he has been poor’. In parts of the world where Liverpool have a huge supporter base, a lot of them will simply support Mo Salah. 

“They do support the club and their team, but we have got the cult of personality in football clubs more than ever. Particularly abroad, the big European football names. It probably started with [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo and this latest generation will follow them as brands as much as the club that they play for. Although Mo Salah isn’t in the category of Ronaldo and Messi, he’s certainly in the category one down. I think a lot of Liverpool fans have a lot of empathy and sympathy for him.”

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On what happens next, Collymore added: “For the remainder of the season he [Salah] will play, but for Liverpool to go on and be Arne Slot 2.0, one or both of him and Van Dijk may well go in the summer.

“I know they signed longer, improved terms, but I almost think that was to see what the players like [Hugo] Ekitike, Isak, Wirtz were going to be like bedding in. It hasn’t been good at the moment, they need them for the remainder of the season, but I do think that if you are going to indulge Isak and Wirtz as the new top men at Liverpool, then the old top men have got to go. 

“I think some of Mo’s mardiness has been around the fact that Isak and Wirtz come in and they get 6,000 tweets saying ‘welcome Wirtz, welcome Isak, you are the best thing since sliced bread’. I think he feels a little bit wounded and a little bit disrespected by that. 

“The only answer is, can they all play together nicely or is the more likely option - and this is what I think - maybe Van Dijk stays one season longer, but I think Mo’s gone in the summertime, for sure.”

Salah continues to generate talk of interest from the Saudi Pro League, with big-spending teams in the Middle East prepared to put lucrative contract offers to the 33-year-old winger. He has scored 250 goals for Liverpool through 421 appearances - winning Premier League, Champions League, Golden Boot and PFA Player of the Year honours - but may only have a matter of months left in English football.