LIVERPOOL OPEN CONTRACT TALKS WITH ANDY ROBERTSON TO WARD OFF CELTIC INTEREST
Liverpool is working to secure Andy Robertson on a two-year deal as Celtic and Tottenham plot moves for the Scotland captain.
Liverpool has a few contract headaches to figure out over the next year or so.
Right now, they’re working on a new deal for Andy Robertson. They want to keep him around for another two years. Makes sense—he’s the Scotland captain, he leads by example, and they don’t want to lose that in the dressing room.
Robertson arrived from Hull City back in 2017 for just £8 million. His current contract runs out at the end of this season, so time’s ticking. According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool wants to get him to sign a new deal and avoid seeing him walk away for nothing this summer. It’s not just about keeping him, either. Spurs nearly snapped him up in January, so Liverpool know they can’t drag their feet.
Because of his contract situation, clubs outside England can already reach out and sort a pre-contract with him. Celtic, for one, has apparently made its move. They want to bring him back to Scotland for free. Celtic are third in the Scottish Premiership right now, still hanging on in the Europa League, and they’d love to have Robertson in their lineup.
This season, Robertson hasn’t played as much as usual. Liverpool spent £45 million on Milos Kerkez last summer, and he’s taken some of those minutes. Still, there’s no bad blood. Back in September, Kerkez talked about their relationship. He said Robertson motivated him before games, pushed him to do his best, and congratulated him after good performances. “He’s a legend,” Kerkez said. “He’s won everything and still has quality. We’re both pushing each other, and that’s what you need at a club like Liverpool.”
Last year, Liverpool handed out two-year contracts to both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, keeping them tied down until 2027. Robertson turns 32 in March, so another two years would fit the pattern. But don’t expect a big pay rise like Salah and Van Dijk got. Robertson’s role has shrunk a bit, so the club probably won’t splash out.
As for Robertson himself, he’s playing it cool. Last month, he said, “We’ve had chats now which will remain private; we’ll see what happens. I’ve got five months left, and we need to see the option to stay or if there are options to go and things like that. I’ll sit down with my family and decide. After a stressful summer, I’m just trying to enjoy being a part of it and being a Liverpool player. I wanted to qualify for the World Cup, and thankfully, we’ve managed to do that. I need to see what my family and I want.”
So, his future’s still up in the air. Liverpool wants to keep him, but there are options on the table, and Robertson’s not rushing into any decisions.
INSIDE ARNE SLOT’S TACTICAL SYSTEM AND ITS IMPACT ON FLORIAN WIRTZ’S GOAL OUTPUT
Florian Wirtz has scored just four times in 25 league games, a major drop from his elite Bayer Leverkusen scoring form.
Florian Wirtz’s £116 million price tag is starting to raise some eyebrows, especially as he struggles to find the scoring touch that made him so valuable. Tony Cascarino from talkSPORT pointed out that while Wirtz is undeniably technically gifted, he’s yet to become truly clinical in front of goal since joining Liverpool.
Wirtz, who moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield with big expectations, took a bit of time to adjust but began contributing to Arne Slot’s team. Yet goals have remained elusive. In 25 Premier League appearances, he’s only managed to score four times, with just one goal each in the Champions League and FA Cup. Recent missed opportunities against Galatasaray, which coincided with Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat, only highlight this ongoing challenge.
Cascarino, a former Chelsea striker and long-time Reds fan, commented on the Weekend Sports Breakfast that Wirtz’s inability to take those chances stands out. He recalled Wirtz’s decent scoring record at Leverkusen, particularly during a season when the club contended for the Bundesliga title, but said those numbers haven’t yet translated to his time in England.
Back when Wirtz was at Bayer Leverkusen, he was more consistent as both a goalscorer and playmaker. Over his last two seasons there, he not only reached double figures in goals but also in assists. For instance, in the 2023/24 season, he scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists, followed by 10 goals and 13 assists the following year. At Liverpool, however, the numbers look quite different. Four goals in 25 league matches is a noticeable drop, even accounting for the Premier League’s markedly higher level of competition. Despite having 24 shots with 15 on target this season, he’s yet to convert those chances into more goals.
Looking ahead, Wirtz will be eager to improve his goal tally in Liverpool’s upcoming match against Tottenham at Anfield. With Igor Tudor’s position at Spurs seemingly under pressure, a strong showing from Wirtz could have a significant impact. The game, scheduled for 4:30 pm on Merseyside, offers him an opportunity not only to build confidence but also, perhaps, to silence some critics questioning whether he can justify that hefty transfer fee.
FINANCIAL EXPERTS PREDICT £120M HIT IF LIVERPOOL MISS 2026-27 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT
Liverpool face a £120m disaster: Read about the Champions League race, Arne Slot’s anger, and the impact of the £400m summer spend.
Liverpool’s in a tight spot right now. After losing to Wolves at Molineux, they’re clinging to fifth place, usually good enough for a Champions League spot, but the cushion isn’t exactly comfortable. They’re just three points ahead of Chelsea, who still have a game in hand against Aston Villa. That race is heating up fast.
Virgil van Dijk summed it up pretty well: “Either we get it, and we deserve it, or we don’t get it, and we don’t deserve it. If you play for Liverpool, it’s always been like this. It’s down to us, together with our fans, to get the results we need to get into the Champions League.” He also mentioned that Arne Slot, the head coach, wasn’t exactly thrilled after the loss; “angry” was the word he used.
But it’s not just about pride or missing out on big European nights. There’s a lot of money on the line. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire pointed out that missing out on the Champions League could leave a big dent in Liverpool’s bank account, even if the club runs pretty sensibly these days.
UEFA’s numbers tell the story. Liverpool earned €98.1 million (£85.3 million/$114 million) just for reaching the last 16 of the 2024–25 Champions League. Compare that to the Europa League, where they only received €26.8 million (£23.3 million/$31.1 million) for reaching the quarterfinals last season. The gap is massive.
Even winning the lesser European trophies doesn’t come close. Tottenham got €41.4 million (£36 million/$48.1 million) for winning the Europa League, and Chelsea picked up €21.8 million (£20 million/$26.7 million) for the Conference League. It’s nowhere near what Champions League teams bring home.
Maguire also pointed out the other hits: fewer home match days, less broadcast cash, and sponsors that pay out less when the club misses the top tier. He reckons missing out could cost Liverpool around £120 million ($160 million). Still, he doesn’t think it’ll sink the club.
And it’s not like Liverpool have been shy about spending. Last summer alone, they shelled out more than £400 million ($534.5 million) on big names like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak – the biggest single-window spend in football history, actually.
Even with all that, Liverpool just reported record revenues of £703 million ($939 million) for the year ending May 2025, turning a modest £8 million ($10.7 million) profit. And here’s the kicker: despite that wild summer, Liverpool ranks only eighth in net transfer spend over the past five years. They’ve been splashing the cash, sure, but they’ve kept things balanced in the long run.
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