Robbie Fowler has suggested that Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah may call it a day at Liverpool if the Reds fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Jurgen Klopp’s side fell to a 4-1 defeat against Manchester City yesterday and currently find themselves seven points adrift of fourth placed Spurs (albeit with a game in hand).
Next up for the Merseysiders is a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea before welcoming league leaders Arsenal to Anfield next weekend and ex-Red Fowler believes the two Liverpool stars will feel they need to be playing in Europe’s premier competition with them both now the wrong side of 30.
“I don’t think I’m being dramatic if I say that should Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League next season, then it will damage the club, both in terms of finances, and in terms of the players who may leave,” Fowler wrote in The Mirror (as quoted by Rousing The Kop).
“I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if the likes of Salah and Van Dijk thought they need to be playing in the elite European competition at their age, and can’t waste a single season out of it. I’m not saying they’d want to go, but it will be a question they may ask themselves.”
There’s no doubting that failing to secure a top four finish will impact our summer transfer business heavily.
We’ve now lost three games in a row (all competitions) and if we don’t sort ourselves out before Tuesday we may very well witness a fourth successive defeat against Graham Potter’s side.
We won’t have as much money to spend on transfers without Champions League football and we also become a less attractive outfit to join if we’re not playing in the world’s best international club competition.
In terms of Salah and van Dijk, however, we can’t see them leaving Anfield anytime soon but with them both now the wrong side of 30 and being two of the club’s biggest earners, FSG could potentially be willing to get them off the wage bill to help free up some finances for more youthful options.
Having our No. 4 and No. 11 at their best for the remainder of the campaign will go a long way in helping our bid for a top four finish – if we do fail in that pursuit, we’re confident they’ll remain at L4 to help us turn things around next term.
Fowler attention seeking again