Ian Rush hopes Liverpool sort new deals for star trio

Liverpool’s record goalscorer Ian Rush admits no-one is bigger than the club but hopes contract renewals can still be agreed for the star trio of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

On Sunday, captain Van Dijk said there was no change in his situation which means, like his two team-mates, he has 10 months remaining on his current deal.

The Netherlands international is 33, the age Salah will be next summer, but they remain key players and have an even more significant role in the first season under new head coach Arne Slot.

Alexander-Arnold is reaching his peak years as he turns 26 in October, but has already proved to be a pivotal figure.

“No-one is bigger than the club, but they’ve got a year left so hopefully the three of them are good for another three years at Liverpool,” he told the PA news agency.

“They are great players, and personally I’d love to see them stay, but we have to look at every situation.

“I think the players don’t think of the situation, I think they just want to play.”

Uncertainty over their futures is the last thing Slot wants as he prepares to embark on the first season without Klopp at Anfield in nine years.

While deals remain unsigned, the Dutchman will continue to face questions about the subject, even though that responsibility lies with new sporting director Richard Hughes.

But with so much upheaval over the summer, Rush hopes the ongoing debate about the three players will not undermine a promising pre-season.

“It would be nice (to have agreements) but at the end of the day that is what Richard Hughes gets paid to do,” he added at the recent reopening of the Liverpool Museum.

“I think the way forward now is to get the start of the season under way. It’s not just 11 on