Six reasons why Man City turned out for Liverpool after Erling Haaland's shock new contract

Erling Haaland's new contract with Manchester City showed Liverpool how they should have handled their own negotiations with players before the situation escalated into a crisis. Haaland has signed a lucrative new deal with the current Premier League champions which will see him stay at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2034.

It is understood City have spent six months working on a nine-and-a-half year contract, which is worth more than £500,000-a-week. The 25-year-old's decision to commit another decade to City is a significant boost for the club, especially given their poor form this season and the uncertainty surrounding their financial burdens.

Haaland, who joined Dortmund in the summer of 2022, was linked with Real Madrid over the past year but the La Liga giants will now have to sign him the hard way if they wish to do so. City's decision to sign one of their best players for the future serves as a crucial lesson for rivals and league leaders Liverpool, who currently face the daunting possibility of their three most important players leaving as as free agents this summer.

Haaland's original contract was due to expire at the end of the 2026/27 season, and outgoing director of football Txiki Begiristain was eager to secure the Norwegian's services before his departure. The first major difference in Liverpool's current predicament is that Begiristain managed to keep negotiations with Haaland confidential, a strategy the Reds failed to adopt and ultimately paid the price for.

Another contrast between City's business and Liverpool's is that Reds talisman Mohamed Salah has signed his latest contract extension in 2022, giving the club just under three years to extend his contract. The Reds might have expected a dip in form from their Egyptian star as he approached the age of 32, but their indecision over his future – having failed to profit from a lucrative move to Al- Hilal eighteen months ago – left them in their current situation. position.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, has signed a four-year contract in 2021. This means the Reds have had even more time to negotiate a deal for their academy graduate before he enters the final year of his contract. This is something that Julian Ward, Liverpool's former technical and sporting director, should have handled better. Instead, his successor, Richard Hughes, was given a monumental task.

Starting contract negotiations early also helped City avoid a media circus. As the contracts of the aforementioned duo and Virgil van Dijk come to an end, speculation linking them with a move away from Anfield has intensified.

This poses an unnecessary headache for new head coach Arne Slot, who has to answer questions about his future every week, when his goal should be to win the league, among other titles. City's forward-thinking approach, meanwhile, allows Pep Guardiola – or his eventual successor – to avoid uncomfortable questions.

Additionally, Salah has openly discussed his contract situation with the media, revealing in November that he was “disappointed” by Liverpool's failure to offer him a new contract. This results in the rest of the team being upset at the thought of losing such an important teammate.

Alexander-Arnold, who like Haaland has often been linked with Real Madrid, has faced widespread criticism from pundit Jamie Carragher and fans for allegedly fueling the Spanish side's interest. Los Blancos tabled a £20million bid for the right-back on New Year's Eve, which was rejected.

Unlike Haaland, who will now play with clarity, Alexander-Arnold was impacted by such speculation. The defender performed poorly against Manchester United earlier this month, while his recent 'shh' celebration appeared to be a response to the swirling rumors and his suffering in form – another distraction for Slot's men.

Finally, the Liverpool trio, as Salah's bold comments this season show, now have considerable negotiating leverage when it comes to demanding higher wages. While the Anfield faithful will be praying to the footballing gods that all three remain at the club beyond the summer, the club has some valuable lessons to learn.