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Mohamed Salah went first, and then Virgil van Dijk a few days later.

Given how close to the wire it came before Salah and Van Dijk penned new terms, it does feel slightly forgotten at this stage just how big a piece of the puzzle that was.

Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.

In convincing Salah and Van Dijk that they must stay — and they would have known what was around the corner in the summer window — Liverpool laid the foundations for what came next.

Had Liverpool lost Salah, it wouldn't have been seeking to improve its roster, but somehow restore parity

"Both of us, every day!" Salah told All Red Video when he was asked if he and Van Dijk ever spoke about their contract situations while the situation was unfolding last season