Mohamed Salah ’s incredible 2024-25 campaign so far put him right in contention, despite injuries and poor form limiting his impact in the first half of the year. But he is just pipped by Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Judging by the rhetoric around Virgil van Dijk signing for Liverpool on this day in 2017, few expected the Netherlands defender to be a game-changing £75m signing. "A joke".

Liverpool are said to be "relaxed" about the contract situations of both Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, who are days away from entering the final six months of their respective contracts. The two stars remain among the finest around right now but are watching their current deals inch closer and closer to expiring,