Liverpool
Van Dijk and Rooney Clash Publicly as Liverpool Defend Leadership
A public back-and-forth between Virgil van Dijk and Wayne Rooney follows criticism after Liverpool’s poor run.
The long-standing rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United has spilled into the public sphere with a forthright exchange between Virgil van Dijk and Wayne Rooney. The disagreement began after an underwhelming 3–2 defeat to Brentford, when voices inside Liverpool’s squad and external pundits criticised the champions.
Rooney, an ex-Everton academy graduate and former England captain, questioned the influence of Liverpool’s senior stars on and off the pitch. “They’ve signed new deals but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season,” Rooney claimed. “I think body language tells you a lot, and I think we’re seeing slightly different body language from the two of them. They are the top two players in that team and if their body language is not right, that affects everyone else.
“I might be wrong on this, but if I was a Liverpool fan or the manager, that would be a big concern for me.”
Van Dijk has been publicly stung by those remarks. After watching from the stands as Liverpool lost their fifth successive domestic fixture against Crystal Palace last Wednesday, he had little opportunity to respond immediately. A win over Aston Villa on Saturday provided a platform for a fuller reply.
Having initially called for calm and pushing back against what he described as “ridiculous takes,” Van Dijk singled out Rooney by name. “I didn’t hear him last year,” the Premier League champion snapped. “No, it doesn’t hurt me to be honest. Just to come back to this particular player, obviously a legend, a big player of the game who inspired so many, I can say only positive things, but I feel that comment is just… I would say it’s a bit of a lazy criticism.
“That’s my personal opinion. It’s easy to blame the older players but he knows obviously as well as everyone else we do it together trying to help each and every one of us to try to get out of this and, like I said as well, last year when things go well you don’t hear that at all.”
Van Dijk also added: “There’s no hard feelings.”
Rooney remained firm. “My job now as a pundit is to give my opinions on what I feel,” he told his own podcast from a dimly lit trophy room. “I’m sure if you ask him or Arne Slot, he probably hasn’t been as good as he has been over the last few years. That was my comment which I stick by.”
Liverpool
Salah, squad changes and a growing rift: the unresolved issue Liverpool must manage
Benched, then off to AFCON: Salah’s frustration exposes questions about Liverpool’s summer signings.
Mohamed Salah’s recent spell on the sidelines has revealed a problem at Liverpool that goes beyond a single selection dispute. After three matches on the bench and an outspoken moment with reporters, Salah was omitted from the travelling squad for the Champions League trip to Italy. He later returned to the bench for the Premier League win over Brighton & Hove Albion, came on and provided an assist, and has since departed for the Africa Cup of Nations without a clear resolution.
A Daily Mail Q&A with reporters close to the club suggested the issue is not solely about minutes. The claim is that Salah was not “overly convinced” by Liverpool’s summer business and by the idea that Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, bought in record-breaking deals for a combined £241 million ($323.2 million), were the players to lead the attack going forward.
Those observers note a personal element. Salah was known to be close with Darwin Núñez and Luís Diaz and was upset when a Liverpool fan account on social media “disrespected” the departed pair after the transfer window. There have also been repeated suggestions that he has been dismissive towards Wirtz, with one widely cited example being Salah’s reluctance to pass to the German for a simple finish during a Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt in October. Wirtz is still searching for his first goal as the weight of his price tag remains a talking point.
The prevailing theory is that Salah stopping to speak to reporters after the Leeds game was not entirely spontaneous; sources say tensions had been building over weeks and months. Time away at AFCON could soothe relations, or it could allow grievances to fester if not addressed directly.
Liverpool, for their part, are reported to intend to keep Salah through the January window and until his contract ends in 2027. If the 33-year-old does not believe he can continue at the club, he has not publicly said so. There are likely suitors from Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer, and, according to reports, the ball currently rests with Salah and how the club chooses to respond.
Bayern Munich
Upamecano’s Future Could Decide Bayern’s Move for Marc Guéhi
Upamecano’s future could unlock Bayern’s move for Marc Guehi, with Liverpool and City waiting. ahead.
The battle for Marc Guéhi’s signature next summer is evolving into a three-way contest, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich all in the frame as the England international approaches a free transfer. Insiders say one variable stands above the rest: Dayot Upamecano’s contract situation at Bayern.
Bayern have held two meetings with Guéhi’s representatives, per Fabrizio Romano, and the club’s appetite will reportedly hinge on whether a central defender vacancy appears. The story, in short, is straightforward. If Upamecano extends his stay the prospect of a Bayern approach diminishes; should a centre back slot open up, Guéhi would be elevated to the status of “serious target”.
Upamecano himself is moving toward the end of his deal but has not ruled out a new contract. The 27-year-old’s salary demands are said to be a sticking point while all options remain open.
Guéhi has tried to insulate himself from the noise. According to reports he has remained detached from speculation, “insisting it wasn’t a difficult Deadline Day” as he continues to captain Crystal Palace and develop a growing influence at club level.
Bayern’s recruitment pattern underlines why the club is monitored closely in this market. The Bundesliga champions have integrated Premier League players into their frontline, with Michael Olise occupying the right side of an attack led by Harry Kane and Luis Díaz.
Romano also assesses the wider market and deems Serie A’s chances of signing Guéhi as “impossible” given the finances required. That assessment is underscored by the summer window figures: the Turkish top flight recorded a larger net spend than Serie A during the 2025 summer window.
For Liverpool and Manchester City, the situation is more binary: Bayern’s decision on Upamecano could either clear the path for a formal bid or consolidate the domestic contenders’ chances. Until that decision is reached, Guéhi’s next destination remains a closely watched negotiation determined as much by one player’s future as by the centre back market as a whole.
Liverpool
Liverpool Draw a Line Over Salah After Benchings and Media Comments
Liverpool will not concede to demands as Salah’s benching and transfer saga heads into January. soon
Liverpool have taken a clear stance after Mohamed Salah’s recent public complaints and a spell out of the starting lineup. Manager Arne Slot left Salah out of the XI for three consecutive matches, the last of which was the Dec. 6 defeat to Leeds United. That sequence prompted Salah to tell the mixed zone he had been thrown “under the bus,” suggesting he felt scapegoated for the club’s malaise and implying his place should be unquestioned because of past contributions.
Slot then omitted him from the starting team for the Champions League trip to Inter in Milan and kept him among the substitutes for the subsequent victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. The manager’s selections have underlined Liverpool’s unwillingness to alter team selection in response to public pressure. Salah is currently away with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations, pausing the immediate fallout, but the issue is expected to resurface before January and will require a longer term resolution.
David Ornstein discussed the situation on NBC Sports and summarised the club’s position. “Liverpool fully intend to keep Mo Salah,” Ornstein said. “They want him to remain in the January transfer window and beyond—he’s under contract until the summer of 2027.” Ornstein added that the contract Liverpool offered was intended to make their intentions clear and noted that the player had on occasion used mixed zone interactions last season to put pressure on the club.
“That seems to be at the centre of discussion,” Ornstein added. He outlined the choices facing Salah: “If he really does want to go, is he going to come forward with some proposals? We know there will be conversations and there is no shortage of interest. We know Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League like him. Al Hilal are not so keen, but there would be admiration from all over Europe as well.”
For now, Liverpool’s message is firm: the club will not bind itself to personal guarantees and expects clarity on Salah’s intentions ahead of the January window.
