A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as Virgil van Dijk gives a clear message on his future at Anfield and Real Madrid start a move to target the transfer of a Reds player.
Erling Haaland backed to beat Mohamed Salah to the Premier League’s Golden Boot
Tony Cascarino has backed Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to beat Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah to the Golden Boot award in the 2024/25 Premier League season. He does not doubt the Egyptian’s ability to make an impact but questions it eclipsing the Norwegian.
Haaland has won the past two Golden Boot awards after scoring 36 and 27 goals in his first two seasons at Etihad Stadium. Salah came seventh last season with 18 goals, ranking short of Cole Palmer (22), Alexander Isak (21), Ollie Watkins, Phil Foden and Dominic Solanke (19).
Salah has won the Golden Boot award three times since joining Liverpool in 2017 and has a great record to start the new Premier League campaign. The 32-year-old has fired three and assisted three goals in three games to start the season but Haaland has seven goals already.
Manchester City saw Haaland score hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham United in their two games prior to the international break. So, Cascarino doubts Salah has enough for the winger to finish the 24/25 Premier League season with more goals than striker Haaland.
Cascarino told talkSPORT: “Last season, Erling got 27 goals in the Premier League. Next best was four behind. Mo does look sharp [but] I just don’t think Mo can get those numbers that Haaland will get.
Read more about what Cascarino has said about the Premier League Golden Boot, here.
Vigil van Dijk wants to say at Liverpool ‘for the next two years’
Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk is determined to stay at Liverpool for at least ‘the next two years’, despite being in the final season on his contract. The 33-year-old is currently set to become a free agent next summer and is still to settle on terms to stay at Anfield longer.
Van Dijk has been on Merseyside since January 2018 and assumed the captaincy in 2024 as Liverpool responded to Jordan Henderson’s departure. He has also started the new term in an integral place under new head coach Arne Slot, having played every minute on offer yet.
But despite starting and playing the full 90 minutes in each of Liverpool’s first three Premier League games, Van Dijk is continually facing questions about his future. So, the centre-back has sought to allay fears he could leave Anfield in 2025 by declaring his intention to stay put.
He said during a press conference with the Netherlands: “At both teams, I am still Virgil, the big leader, and I certainly want to remain that for the next two years.”
Read more about what Van Dijk has had to say about his future at Liverpool, here.
Real Madrid move to tempt Trent Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool for free
Real Madrid are starting to make moves to tempt Trent Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool in a free transfer next summer. That is according to Sport, which reports that the Galacticos are already working with president Florentino Perez’s orders to study the free agent market.
Alexander-Arnold is particularly appealing for Los Blancos as Real Madrid have followed the Liverpool academy graduate closely for numerous years. The Santiago Bernabeu team have also tested the waters to take the right-back to La Liga and are confident they may succeed.
Liverpool so far failing to agree to the terms of a new contract with Alexander-Arnold set to be a free agent in 2025 encourages Real Madrid. He would replace Lucas Vazquez with Dani Carvajal likely to stay in the Spanish capital, whilst delivering youth against the 32-year-old.
The 25-year-old has only represented Liverpool to date and has won every major honour at Anfield. Alexander-Arnold has also started his season by starting all three of Arne Slot’s first Premier League matches in charge of Liverpool to start at right-back for England this month.
Read more about Real Madrid’s interest in Alexander-Arnold’s transfer from Liverpool, here.
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