Despite a frustrating 0-0 draw against Blackburn in the FA Cup at the weekend, Liverpool are looking like real challengers for a top four place and back to their very best under Brendan Rodgers.
With the post-Luis Suarez blues now firmly behind the Merseyside club, the Northern Irish manager will hope to qualify for the Champions League again next season and kick on with a title push in 2015-16.
Although the Reds have a number of top-class players in their ranks, arguably their most important are Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling.
Both are English, feel a connection with the club and are continually improving. They are some of the best players in their respective positions in the Premier League. And both are reportedly dragging their heels in signing new contracts at Anfield.
Although Rodgers and the powers that be will be looking at the transfer market for potential summer additions soon, the most important deals that the club needs to secure, and quick, are contract renewals for their key English duo.
Henderson’s potential new deal is the more urgent of the two, with his current deal with the Merseyside club running out next summer.
With Steven Gerrard set to leave for a new challenge at the end of the campaign, the former Sunderland box-to-box man is being eyed up as the Liverpool legend’s replacement both in central midfield and as the club’s captain.
With the slightest of whispers in the Spanish media that Barcelona are keeping an eye on Henderson’s contract situation, Liverpool would be advised to act quickly.
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There will be other players in Rodgers’ current squad that get paid more than the homegrown midfielder, but Henderson deserves to be in the highest bracket of earners at Anfield. With reports that initial talks over a renewal have run ashore, Liverpool should treat Gerrard’s replacement with the same respect and generosity that they showed his predecessor when it comes time to talk turkey.
Sterling’s current deal has an extra year on it compared to Henderson’s, with the flying attacker in contract until the summer of 2017. However, there is no doubting the fact that due to the Jamaican-born star’s rapid rise to prominence, he is currently underpaid.
Rodgers revealed recently that Sterling had been offered an impressive new deal but as yet pen and paper have not met and questions marks still hang over his head.
Just how much credence there are in claims that Real Madrid are interested in Sterling remains to be seen, but it is seems logical that one of the brightest young prospects in world football is being linked to one of the biggest clubs.
Sterling has the potential to be a world-beater if he continues to develop at his current rate and keeping him at Anfield is essential if Liverpool are to break up the established order at the top of the Premier League on a consistent basis.
Although Rodgers will ask his board to deliver a number of new players ahead of next season, keeping the current crop together is arguably more critical.
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