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9 April 2025, 16:36 | Updated: 11 April 2025, 07:59
Mohamed Salah is edging closer to signing a new contract with Liverpool as talks have been progressing well.
The situation is the same for captain Virgil van Dijk, who has also indicated there has been "progress" in discussions over a long-awaited new deal to keep him at Liverpool.
Salah and Van Dijk have made it abundantly clear that remaining at Anfield is their priority and it is understood there has finally been a breakthrough after a lengthy negotiation process.
Despite both players' contracts running out this summer, Liverpool have always been confident that the pair would commit to the club.
Salah, 32, has contributed 27 goals and 17 assists in 31 Premier League games so far this season to help Arne Slot's side to an 11-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are believed to be progressing in talks over signing Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose deal at Anfield also expires at the end of June - and his preference is to join the LaLiga club.
Madrid are confident of tying up a deal for Alexander-Arnold and they are obliged to communicate with Liverpool when an agreement is reached.
However, the England international's situation will have no bearing on what happens with Salah and Van Dijk, with all contract offers being drafted on individual merit, data and circumstances.
And the optimism is very strong that the pair will remain at Liverpool beyond the summer.
Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy:
"This is the news all Liverpool fans had been hoping for as Mo Salah closes in on a new deal after very lengthy negotiations.
"It is expected to be a two-year deal, which is the same situation with Virgil van Dijk, who came out over the weekend to say there had been progress with talks.
"Last month we reported Liverpool were hugely confident both players would extend their commitment to the club, while both players also made it abundantly clear their preference was to stay at Anfield.
"So it was all about getting to the stage where a compromise and a breakthrough could be reached and we are finally at that point."
Analysis by Sky Sports' Richard Morgan:
This is, potentially, the news all Liverpool supporters wanted to hear as this long-running transfer saga appears to finally be drawing to a close.
Liverpool fans have been here before, in the summer of 2022 when Salah's then contract at Anfield had just 12 months left to run, before that July the forward put pen to paper on a new three-year deal.
However, with that contract now having just over two months left before it expires and seemingly no breakthrough in talks on the horizon, Salah's glorious Reds career had appeared to be drawing to a close.
"I don't see any of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk signing at Liverpool," said Paul Merson recently of the situation. "I'd be quite shocked if all three stayed from here."
But now, finally, after months of protracted negotiations, it appears a breakthrough has been made between the two parties that will extend Salah's eight-year stay on Merseyside that has seen the forward score an incredible 243 goals in all competitions in only 394 matches, the third most in the club's history, while winning every trophy possible during that time.
Sky Sports' Paul Merson:
"Massive, huge - I did not expect any of them to sign if I am being honest as if you let your contract run down - they are free agents from July, but they could talk to foreign clubs from January.
"To get them two signed up with the amount of money they would be losing every week from not signing, which could have been two years ago, phenomenal.
"Bad news for Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea - them two staying makes Liverpool very, very strong again next season. I thought if they lost them two, or two of the three, they would be right up against it next season."
(c) Sky Sports 2025: Mohamed Salah contract: Liverpool forward nearing new deal at Anfield as talks progress before crucial summer