How Liverpool could look next season after Mohamed Salah departs and with contracts expiring

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Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool in the summer, giving the Reds a huge hole to fill in their attackPlenty of questions about Liverpool's current campaign still remain, but the announcement of Mohamed Salah's departure has also shifted next season into sharp focus.For the first time since 2017 the Reds will be beginning a campaign without Salah in their ranks, and as it stands the Egyptian might not be the only high-profile exit in what could be another busy summer at Anfield.But just what will Liverpool's squad look like when 2026-27 rolls around? All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook pageGOALKEEPERSAlisson Becker's future has been shrouded in a little bit of mystery for some time, but earlier this month things were resolved somewhat with the announcement that the Reds had triggered the option to extend the Brazilian's contract by a further 12 months to ensure that he will stick around at Anfield for a ninth season.With injury having recently struck him again though, and Giorgi Mamardashvili back in goal and seemingly certain of his place as the eventual Liverpool No.1, it will be interesting to see if there is a changing of the guard next season.Freddie Woodman, signed last summer as third choice and taking up a valuable homegrown slot in the squad, will have to make a decision over whether or not he sticks around or looks for first-team football elsewhere.DEFENCEUnlike with Salah, there is little doubt that Virgil van Dijk will see out both of the years on the new contract he signed a year ago, but given that he'll turn 35 in the summer there is a strong possibility that he will be entering his final season at the club.Joe Gomez is another who will be out of contract in the summer of 2027, with his injuries and age - he'll be 30 next May - perhaps counting against a new one.

Again though, Liverpool will want him around for 2026-27 unless he pushes for a move.Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, Milos Kerkez, Giovanni Leoni and of course Jeremy Jacquet are all certainties for the Liverpool squad next season, but with little to no news on any new contracts for Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate, as it stands both 2025 Premier League winners won't be around.Both will need replacing, with Leoni and Jacquet surely too raw to step up and immediately become Van Dijk's first choice partner. Centre-backs Nico Schlotterbeck and Micky van de Ven are among the names who have been linked with the Reds, and while an experienced left-back could be sourced if Robertson departs it is worth remembering that Kostas Tsimikas will return from his loan at Roma.MIDFIELDRyan Gravenberch signed his new Reds deal earlier this month, and Liverpool will also hope to tie down their player of the season Dominik Szoboszlai with talks over a new deal under way.The future of Alexis Mac Allister, signed in that same summer of 2023, is a little less clear, with the player himself recently confirming that no discussions on a new deal are taking place.

Assurances around playing time might be needed, but Liverpool surely won't want to let him go.Harvey Elliott will be expected to leave after his frustrating year at Aston Villa, and a decision will surely have to be taken on Stefan Bajcetic after his lost year, but Trey Nyoni will hopefully benefit from the first-team exposure he's had this season and become a more viable option.In terms of potential transfer incomings then perhaps a Premier League ready midfielder would fit the bill, with the likes of Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson linked with the Reds in dispatches. Liverpool have not confirmed that they are in for either player, and both would be costly.ATTACKWhatever happens with the future of this Liverpool team you can be confident that Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike will have large parts to play in it, and the hope will be that once Alexander Isak is up and running then he can become a vital cog in the attacking machine too, perhaps with Ekitike coming from the left.Cody Gakpo may have had a frustrating season but Liverpool would have to receive a big offer to even consider selling him, while Rio Ngumoha will surely be seen more often next season after his exciting cameos in the current campaign, and hopefully Jayden Danns can get over his injury issues to play a role.Salah's departure makes the right of the attack the most intriguing place to look for incomings, but with the Reds highly unlikely to replace him like for like they could look for a different type of winger.