Mohamad Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold have entered the final months of their contracts at Liverpool and can leave as free agents at the end of the season. Yet, manager Arne Slot still found time to joke about the situation on Friday when quizzed about their futures.

They have made a flying start under him, winning five of their first six league matches, but Slot is conscious he still has the core of the side who won the Premier League and the Champions League under Jurgen Klopp, in Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.

Mohamed Salah’s latest exploits came during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Bologna in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, where he scored one goal and assisted another.