Dominik Szoboszlai contract talks matter almost as much as his Liverpool player of the season award

Dominik Szoboszlai has been named Liverpool’s 2025-26 Men’s Player of the Season, and there is no real argument against it. In a season that lurched badly off course before Arne Slot’s departure and now moves into a fresh phase under Andoni Iraola, the Hungarian was one of the few constants. According to The Liverpool Echo, that individual recognition now sits alongside an issue Liverpool have to resolve properly, his contract.

The numbers are strong and, more importantly, they carry weight. Szoboszlai featured in 53 of 57 matches, started every game he played, scored 13 goals and supplied 12 assists, more than anyone else in the squad. He did it from midfield and, when needed, filled in at right-back. That matters. Availability matters. Adaptability matters. Liverpool did not have enough certainty in 2025-26, and Szoboszlai provided some.

Szoboszlai season shows quality and durability

There was substance behind the award too. Five Standard Chartered Player of the Month wins and eight Carlsberg Player of the Match awards tell you he was not just productive over a long stretch, he was decisive in individual games. His set-piece threat became a major weapon, with four direct free-kick goals in the Premier League, a club record for a single campaign in that competition. Eight of his finishes were good enough to land on Liverpool’s Goal of the Season shortlist. That is not cosmetic. It points to a player carrying technical responsibility and delivering on it.

He also reached another milestone by becoming only the second Hungarian to hit 100 Premier League appearances. Again, useful context. At 25, he is no longer a prospect. He is supposed to be entering his peak years, and Liverpool should be making sure those years happen at Anfield.

Liverpool contract talks need clarity

This is where the story becomes more serious. Talks over a new deal have been ongoing since November, with no agreement yet in place. The concern is obvious. Liverpool have already seen Ibrahima Konate leave for Real Madrid on a free transfer at 27, and supporters do not need reminding how damaging that looks, financially and structurally.

Szoboszlai’s current deal runs until 2028, so there is no immediate emergency. Even so, clubs that are well run do not wait for situations to become awkward. They act early, especially with players who are central to the next cycle. Szoboszlai made his position plain in April: “There has been no real progression, so I cannot say anything new about my contract situation,” Szoboszlai said after Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Everton.

He added: “We have a lot of games to go and I am focusing on that. As you guys know, my contract ends in 2028, so I am ready to go every day, every week, and then let’s see.

“Of course I see myself here in the long term, but it is not really in my hands any more. I love being here. I love the fans. My family is happy. I’m completely relaxed. We have five games to go. Then I am going to rest , a big one, after my international break. Then we will see.”

That reads like a player open to staying and a club that now needs to finish the job. Iraola will need pillars as he starts. Szoboszlai is one of them.

More Urgency Required

From a hopeful Liverpool fan perspective, this feels pretty simple. You do not spend months admiring a player’s effort, consistency and quality, then drift through contract talks as if there is plenty of time.

Szoboszlai looks like the sort of footballer every supporter wants in the core of the side. He runs, creates, scores, takes responsibility and seems comfortable with pressure. He also appears settled off the pitch, which is usually half the battle with elite players. If he wants to stay, Liverpool should be pushing this over the line before the new season gets going properly.

There is also a wider point. Iraola is walking into a club that needs a reset after a poor campaign and a managerial change. He needs leaders and standards immediately. Szoboszlai has a chance to be one of the faces of that rebuild, alongside the players who can handle expectation at Anfield. Supporters will take real encouragement from that.

The fear, naturally, comes from recent mistakes. Nobody wants another long-running saga or another valuable player edging closer to a situation where leverage swings away from Liverpool. Get this done, remove the noise, and let one of the squad’s best performers focus on what he does best. If that happens, there is every reason to think he can be one of the key men in a much better 2026-27.

Source: The Liverpool Echo