The $0 Mistake: Why Liverpool's owners were prepared to lose Salah & Van Dijk for nothing | OneFootball

"We were close to walking away" — inside the tense negotiations that nearly changed Liverpool’s future

The $0 Mistake: Why Liverpool's owners were prepared to lose Salah & Van Dijk for nothing

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has admitted that the club was prepared to let Mohamed Salah & Virgil van Dijk leave for free during last summer’s contract negotiations.

Both stars entered the final year of their contracts during the 2024 /25 season with uncertainty surrounding their futures as talks dragged on.

After months of delicate discussions overlapping with the Premier League run in .. Liverpool eventually secured extensions for the Egyptian forward & Dutch centre back at the end of the campaign.

Werner explained that Fenway Sports Group FSG were prepared to walk away if the financial demands did not align with the club’s long term strategy.

The chairman also praised new sporting director Richard Hughes who led the negotiations with calm and consistent approach.

He added:

FSG’s hands off approach

Werner insisted that the ownership group avoids interfering in football operations:

A turning point for Liverpool

The successful contract renewals ensured that Liverpool retained two pillar of their squad:

Werner’s revelations, however highlight how fragile the situation became and how close Liverpool were to facing new season without two of the most influential players in their modern history.