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The start of a new era at Anfield brings with it more than just a new manager. As Andoni Iraola prepares to take charge of Liverpool for the 2026/27 campaign, the contract situation across the squad has never been more important. Some players are locked in until the next decade. Others are heading for the exit. And a few sit in that uncomfortable middle ground where both club and player are still figuring things out. Let us break it all down, position by position, in plain English.
Between the Sticks: A Goalkeeper Transition Already Underway
The goalkeeping department tells you everything you need to know about where Liverpool are as a club right now. They are managing one era while building the next.
Alisson Becker is under contract until the summer of 2027 after Liverpool triggered a one-year extension option on his deal. The Brazilian was heavily linked with a move to Juventus, and for a while it looked like that exit could happen sooner than expected. But Alisson decided to see out his remaining time at Anfield and Liverpool were equally determined to keep him, particularly after losing Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson in the same summer. His agent confirmed the renewal simply: “We have just renewed the contract with Liverpool.” That is one year of experience and leadership Liverpool cannot afford to lose heading into a rebuilding season.
Behind him, Giorgi Mamardashvili sits on a long-term deal running until 2031 and represents the future of the position. The 25-year-old Georgian arrived from Valencia knowing his time would come, and he has been nothing but professional about his backup role. “My time will come for sure. Maybe not this year but my time will come,” he told The Reds Roundtable. When Alisson eventually departs, Mamardashvili steps straight into the number one jersey. Liverpool planned this goalkeeping succession beautifully.
The Defence: One Giant Void, One Pillar Still Standing
The departure of Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson on the same summer stings badly. Both ran down their contracts to 2026 and left on free transfers, which is exactly the kind of outcome no club ever wants. Robertson spent nine seasons at Anfield and gave everything he had. Konate, when fit, was one of the best centre-backs in Europe. Losing both without a penny in return is a painful lesson for the recruitment team.
However, Virgil van Dijk remains. The captain signed a two-year extension in 2025 that keeps him at Liverpool until 2027, and at 35 years old he is still leading the backline with everything he has. Whether he gets another deal beyond that remains to be seen, but for now Van Dijk is not going anywhere, and that matters enormously.
The future of the defence, though, is already in place. Giovanni Leoni, signed in 2025, is contracted all the way to 2031. Jeremy Jacquet joined ahead of this season on a long-term deal. At full-back, Conor Bradley is tied down until 2029, Jeremie Frimpong until 2030, and Milos Kerkez until 2030. The back four of the future is already assembled. Liverpool just need Van Dijk to bridge the gap until those players are fully ready to carry the load.
Joe Gomez has a deal until 2027 but his future feels less certain. With so many centre-backs now at the club, his path to regular minutes is increasingly narrow.
The Midfield: Secured, Settled and Ready to Grow
This is probably the least worrying area of the squad from a contract perspective, and also the most exciting.
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are all signed until 2028, giving Liverpool a genuine midfield core to build around for years. Gravenberch in particular signed an extension that could keep him at the club until 2032, showing just how highly Liverpool rate him. Florian Wirtz, the club-record signing who arrived last summer, is locked in until 2030. At 23, he could be the heartbeat of this team for the better part of a decade.
Curtis Jones has a deal until 2027 but his future is less certain. There has been reported interest from Inter Milan and Tottenham, and with Iraola reshaping the way Liverpool play, Jones will need to fight hard to prove he fits the new system. His contract situation makes the next twelve months a pivotal period for his Anfield career.
Wataru Endo is contracted until 2027, though at 36 when that deal expires, it is difficult to see a further extension. He has been a loyal servant but squad depth will only take you so far at this level.
The Attack: The Salah Era Ends, The Isak Era Begins
Let us address the biggest story first. Mohamed Salah has left Liverpool. The Egyptian ended his nine-year association with the club as a free agent this summer, departing as the third-highest scorer in the club’s history with 257 goals. He will never be replaced. He can only be succeeded.
That succession falls to Alexander Isak, tied to Liverpool until 2031 on a deal that cost the club a Premier League record fee. At 27, he is entering the absolute prime of his career and has all the tools to become one of the world’s best. Alongside him, Hugo Ekitiké is also contracted until 2031, giving Iraola two top-level striking options locked in for the long haul.
Cody Gakpo has a deal running until 2030 and showed last season that he is capable of being a genuine match-winner. Rio Ngumoha, the young winger who impressed during the closing stages of 2025/26, recently signed his first professional contract and will be pushing hard for more opportunities under the new manager. He is one to watch very closely.
The Big Picture: Liverpool’s Contracts Tell a Clear Story
What the contract situation reveals about Liverpool in June 2026 is this: the old guard has moved on, and the new guard is already signed, sealed and ready. Alisson provides one more year of top-level goalkeeping before Mamardashvili takes over. Van Dijk anchors the defence while younger centre-backs develop around him. The midfield is stacked with talent tied down for years. And up front, Isak leads a new attacking era with Wirtz pulling the strings behind him.
The losses hurt. Salah, Robertson and Konate leaving in the same summer represents a genuine changing of the guard, and there will be growing pains. But the foundations Andoni Iraola is inheriting are stronger than they might first appear. Anfield’s next chapter is already written in ink. Now we just wait to see it played out on the pitch.
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YNWA (You’ll Never Walk Alone)!
The Liverpool FC Times Team
LiverpoolFCTimes.com