Liverpool have to rebuild again as their great team hits the end of an era
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That is quite the achievement considering the club’s rich heritage and, as recently as last season, all five were still at the club as Liverpool strolled to the Premier League title.Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid last summer, Salah and Robertson will depart at the end of this season, there are question marks over the future of Alisson (despite his one-year option being triggered and with links to Juventus gathering pace) and Van Dijk turns 35 this summer and then enters the final year of his contract.Arne Slot has commented multiple times on the importance of a team staying together and how settled squads produce consistent performances. Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Robertson and Salah were all a big part of last season’s title-winning squad, and their experience of winning it five years earlier no doubt helped.They are all in the top 12 for Premier League appearances for Liverpool, and are also all in the top eight for Champions League appearances for the club.
Robertson and Salah have played 257 Premier League games together; only 15 duos have played together more in Premier League history. Robertson has shown in recent weeks that he can still offer plenty when called upon, though, and having him to deputise for Kerkez has been invaluable as Liverpool have cemented their place in the top five in the Premier League.This is not to say that Liverpool have made the wrong moves.
The main reason Liverpool didn’t win the title in 2013-14 was because they conceded 50 goals, and Klopp has said several times how much he would have loved to have worked with Gerrard.Of the current squad, after Salah, Robertson, Van Dijk and Alisson, it is Curtis Jones who has the most appearances for the club (224), and he’s also being linked with a move away in the summer – strangely enough, because he isn’t getting enough games. Between the four of them, Salah, Robertson, Van Dijk and Alisson have 1,518 appearances for Liverpool.