Three Liverpool players could leave after Jurgen Klopp announced his imminent departure from the club, a former Red has claimed.
On Friday, Klopp announced he was set to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, saying he was "running out of energy".
The German, whose contract was set to run until 2026, has won almost every trophy available in his nine-year spell on Merseyside.
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Klopp’s outfit claimed the Champions League in 2019, while the following season the 56-year-old led the Reds to their first Premier League title in 30 years.
According to former Liverpool player Jason McAteer, Klopp’s departure in the summer could have an impact on the futures of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The trio’s contracts expire in 18 months, with Salah in particular having been linked to a transfer away from Merseyside in the past.
Liverpool turned down a £150million verbal offer from Al Ittihad for the Egyptian in the summer.
McAteer told beIN Sports: “Van Dijk signed for us (Liverpool) and puts it down to Klopp. But the other thing is players staying at the club.
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“We know Mo Salah’s on the brink of possibly leaving at the end of the season and we don’t know how that’s going to pan out.
“But Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, their contracts are up in 18 months. I said yesterday that if Klopp is there, they sign new deals and they continue the journey and fairy tale.
“But with a new manager, results might go the other way. We might have two managers when the contract negotiations start, the team might be in decline.
“And they will leave. So, all that is uncertainty as well.”
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Liverpool skipper Van Dijk was among the first Liverpool players to speak out over Klopp’s shock announcement.
"It's a hard one to take, because the manager means so much for us, to me, to the club, to the whole Premier League I think," Van Dijk told Liverpool.com. "But he made the decision for him and his family. It was always going to be a tough one and it was definitely the case.
“I think it will be a collective feeling and like I said already, I didn't have any feeling so far that that wasn't the case. I think [Klopp's decision] just should give you that extra boost, that special feeling that let's make the most out of it.
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"I think that feeling was already [there] like I said before, since pre-season that we wanted to make things right from last year and we have to keep that going.
"As a fan and as a supporter of the football club, it will also feel that way. You want to be there and you want to be there for the team, be there for the manager. Let's make the rest of the season a special one so he can have the farewell that he definitely deserves."
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Football, Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Transfers