Arne Slot has transformed Liverpool’s talented squad into a title-challenging force. Tottenham Hotspur were dismantled in North London on Sunday, leaving the Reds firmly in the driver’s seat as Christmas approaches.

Liverpool’s resurgence this season mirrors a shift in managerial style. While Jurgen Klopp was known for his infectious energy and booming laugh, Slot brings a focused, all-business approach that has galvanized the team.

Anfield has embraced this transformation, as though the manager’s pragmatic persona has subtly reshaped the club’s identity, yielding impressive results both on and off the pitch.

Yet, a looming concern casts a shadow over this resurgence—three, to be exact. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah are just over a week away from being eligible to negotiate pre-contract agreements with overseas clubs.

Liverpool’s potential transfer exits

It’s a troubling scenario. The three superstars, who delivered stellar performances against Tottenham and have been exceptional all season, could potentially leave for free. While reports suggest no signs of unrest, the Redmen might still consider listening to offers come January—a reality that could reshape the team’s future.

However, as per The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Van Dijk, 33, and the 32-year-old Salah have received proposals and talks are progressing positively, albeit at a snail’s pace.

Alexander-Arnold’s future is more nebulous, with Real Madrid bearing a vested interest in Liverpool’s all-powerful right-back. At 26, the Scouser is entering his prime and bringing the facets of his remarkable skillset together to a new degree.

If the vice-captain were to leave on a Bosman in 2025, Liverpool’s adoring fanbase would undoubtedly be incensed, dismayed and dejected. But Los Blancos’ pull is strong and turning them down would be an agonising decision for any top-class player across the globe.

Away from Liverpool’s non-committal superstars, further exit activity could be on the cards at the end of the campaign. Liverpool need to make some signings but FSG are already resigned to losing another core Liverpool member in Caoimhin Kelleher.

Caoimhin Kelleher’s Liverpool future

Last week, retired goalkeeper Paul Robinson revealed to Football Insider that Tottenham could look to sign Kelleher at the end of the season, with Fraser Forster’s recent woes making a conclusive comment on the 36-year-old’s Premier League future.

2Kelleher’s time at Liverpool with Marmadashvili coming in, that would be a brilliant option if we were talking in the summer.” – Paul Robinson on Kelleher.

Kelleher has risen to fame as Alisson Becker’s capable understudy over the past few years, but he’s playing out the penultimate year of his contract and will not sign a new deal given his second-fiddle status.

Adding complexity to Kelleher’s position, Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes secured a £29m deal for Euro 2024 standout Giorgio Mamardashvili, who will join from Valencia next summer. This looming competition further clouds Kelleher’s future at Anfield.

To his credit, Kelleher has consistently stepped up when needed, covering for the injury-prone Alisson and proving himself an essential piece of Liverpool’s squad. His performances have earned him recognition as a reliable and talented shot-stopper.

However, selling the 26-year-old to a Premier League rival could backfire on the Reds. While FSG aims to fetch around £35m for their homegrown talent, allowing Kelleher to develop and shine elsewhere might weaken Liverpool’s depth and strengthen a potential competitor—a scenario they may later regret.

Why Liverpool shouldn’t sell him to a rival

Kelleher has been immense in recent years, chalking up 61 senior appearances for Liverpool in total, lifting two Carabao Cup trophies and performing with high and layered quality. Van Dijk has even gone as far as to describe the Irishman as “world-class.”

With Alisson missing multiple stretches of the current campaign, Kelleher has stepped up, making 13 appearances across all competitions. His 71% save rate is only slightly behind Alisson’s 72%, according to FBref. However, Kelleher’s true value lies in his consistency and ability to deliver on the grandest stages—most notably his heroic performance during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea last season.

While Virgil van Dijk’s claim that Kelleher is among the world’s best goalkeepers might seem exaggerated, the Irishman has consistently shown that he has the quality to start for a top European side. At 25, he’s still at the beginning of what could be a long and successful career, especially for a goalkeeper yet to reach his prime.

Liverpool, known for their generally sharp transfer dealings, have occasionally allowed talent to leave too soon, only to watch them thrive elsewhere. Dominic Solanke, who found the net against Liverpool last weekend, serves as one example. Raheem Sterling is perhaps the more striking case. At just 21, Sterling left for Manchester City in a controversial £49m move in 2015. Though his departure was contentious, Sterling went on to win numerous trophies under Pep Guardiola. While his form has dipped in recent years, his success at City underscores the risks of letting young talents go prematurely.

For Kelleher, the parallels are clear. Alisson may be the best goalkeeper in the world, but his recurring fitness issues raise questions about Liverpool’s long-term depth in goal. Allowing Kelleher to leave could come back to haunt the Reds, especially given his potential to play a pivotal role in the years to come.

That, of course, is a major factor behind the deal to sign Mamardashvili, but you can’t help but feel Kelleher might be a little aggrieved after such impressive exploits in recent years. He’s well within his rights to want first-choice football, but it’s a shame that probably won’t be at Liverpool.

After all, Alisson has missed so much football across his distinguished Liverpool career.

FSG are typically shrewd operators in the transfer market, yet there’s no denying the missteps underlying Liverpool’s current contractual dilemmas.

Meanwhile, the goalkeeping situation offers a contrasting narrative. With Mamardashvili set to join and compete with Alisson in 2025, Slot’s squad appears well-prepared to secure its foundations for the foreseeable future.

Could it be that Caoimhin Kelleher should have stayed at Anfield? Last season, Klopp hailed him as “the best number two in the world.” With Alisson frequently dealing with fitness issues, Kelleher could have seized more opportunities to establish himself further.

Instead, it now seems possible that a Premier League rival, perhaps Tottenham, might reap the benefits of Kelleher’s development in the years to come.