Dominik Szoboszlai set for a new long-term contract: Liverpool want to retain one of the key figures of their new era
Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to sign a new long-term contract with Liverpool soon, thereby confirming that he sees his future at Anfield. According to a report published by This Is Anfield on 16 July 2026, the Hungarian midfielder is close to formalising an agreement following months of negotiations between the club and his representative, Mátyás Esterházy. At the time the information was published, Liverpool had not yet officially confirmed the signing or announced the length of the new contract, meaning the details of the agreement remain outside the public domain for now. Nevertheless, the expectation that the deal will be completed shortly represents an important development compared with the beginning of July, when reports still indicated that no final breakthrough had been achieved in the negotiations. The 25-year-old footballer's current contract runs until the summer of 2028, but the club evidently do not want to allow one of their most important players to enter a period in which his future would become a constant topic during transfer windows.
Such a move fits Liverpool's efforts to protect the sporting value of the squad in good time and build a stable core around younger key players for the coming seasons. During his three years at Anfield, Szoboszlai has developed from an expensive and promising signing into a player whose influence encompasses creativity, pressing, set pieces, transitions and leadership on the pitch. His importance increased further during the demanding 2025/26 season, in which, according to Liverpool's official figures, he appeared in 53 of 57 matches and started every one of them. He scored 13 goals and recorded 12 assists, the highest total in the team, even though he occasionally had to play at right-back in addition to his natural midfield position. A new contract would therefore not merely be a reward for his statistical output, but also confirmation of his status as a player around whom the new coaching staff can build a recognisable style of play.
Negotiations lasted for months, and both sides wanted an agreement
Talks about extending the partnership did not begin only after the end of the season. According to earlier information from the Liverpool Echo, relayed by This Is Anfield, the player's representatives and the club opened negotiations as early as November 2025, well before Szoboszlai entered the final two years of his existing contract. At the beginning of July 2026, reports still suggested that no final agreement had been reached, but also that there was a clear willingness on both sides to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion. The Hungary international did not hide during the season that he would be happy to remain at Liverpool, emphasising his attachment to the club, the city, his teammates, the stadium and the supporters. His public messages did not contain an unconditional promise, but they showed that he considered continuing his career at Anfield to be a desirable outcome.
For Liverpool, resolving such an issue in good time is also important because of their experiences with prolonged negotiations that can burden everyday sporting operations. When a prominent player's contract approaches its final year, every delay creates room for speculation about a transfer, interest from other clubs and the possibility of departure without adequate compensation. In Szoboszlai's case, there was currently no immediate danger of a free transfer because his contract remained valid until 2028, but entering the 2026/27 season without clear progress would have increased pressure on all parties involved. The expected agreement would allow the club to retain control over the player's future, while giving the footballer security and a status consistent with his role. Since the financial terms have not been officially published, it is not possible to confirm how large a pay rise he is expected to receive or whether the new contract contains any special clauses.
It is important to distinguish between a report of an agreement having been reached or being immediately expected and an official club announcement. By 16 July 2026, Liverpool had not presented Szoboszlai's new contract through their official channels, which means the final administrative steps, the signature and the announcement are still considered outstanding formalities. In professional football, an agreement in principle usually precedes the signing of documentation, but the details can only be considered finalised after official confirmation. For that reason, it can currently be said that the deal is close to completion, rather than that an extension has already been announced. Nevertheless, the tone of the latest reports indicates that the negotiations, after a period without a breakthrough, have entered their final stage.
His best season in a Liverpool shirt
Szoboszlai's negotiating position was strengthened after his most convincing season in England. At the beginning of June, Liverpool announced that the Hungarian midfielder had won the club's Men's Player of the Season award for 2025/26, collecting more than two-thirds of the supporters' votes. Official club statistics list 53 appearances, 13 goals and 12 assists, along with five Player of the Month awards and eight Player of the Match honours. He particularly distinguished himself with his free-kick delivery: four league goals were scored directly from set pieces, which, according to Liverpool, is a club record for one player in a single Premier League season. His strike against Arsenal from a distance of 32.3 yards, or approximately 29.5 metres, was voted Liverpool's Men's Goal of the Season.
The figures do not fully describe the scope of his work. Szoboszlai was often the first player to initiate pressure on the opposition's build-up, while his ability to repeat sprints allowed the team to maintain intensity even after losing the ball. In possession, he could operate as an attacking midfielder, an interior midfielder or a player dropping deeper to accelerate the movement of the ball towards the forwards. When circumstances required it, he also accepted the role of right-back, although that position does not make full use of his shooting and creativity in the final third. Precisely this tactical adaptability is one of the reasons why tying the player down to a long-term deal carries particular significance for a team going through a new coaching phase.
According to the club's official overview of his Liverpool career to date, Szoboszlai had accumulated 147 appearances and 28 goals by the beginning of June 2026. This Is Anfield states that he had also registered 26 assists, taking him past the mark of 50 direct goal contributions. In his first season under Jürgen Klopp, he won the League Cup, while in his second he was part of the team that won the 2024/25 English league title under Arne Slot. The third season did not bring the same level of team continuity, but individually it strengthened his position. Liverpool are therefore facing a decision that is simultaneously sporting, financial and symbolic: by extending his contract, they would show that they regard the previous season's best player as one of the foundations of their future project.
An important figure at the beginning of Andoni Iraola's tenure
The new contract carries additional weight because of the change in the dugout. Liverpool officially appointed Andoni Iraola as their new head coach on 4 June 2026, after Arne Slot left his position at the end of May. Iraola arrived following three seasons at Bournemouth, and he faces the task of shaping the team for the 2026/27 season. During such a transitional period, retaining proven players in their prime reduces the need for further changes and fresh adaptation in key areas. With his physical capacity, aggressive pressing and ability to progress quickly with the ball, Szoboszlai naturally presents himself as a player capable of meeting the demands of intense football.
In his first club interviews, Iraola emphasised that a coach should help players develop and function as a unit. Footballers who can perform several roles without a major drop in quality are particularly valuable for such an approach. Szoboszlai can play behind the striker, in a midfield pair or a midfield three, while last season showed that, when necessary, he can also cover a defensive position. Extending his contract would allow the new coach to plan for the medium term without the constant uncertainty over whether one of his main figures would still be available beyond the following season. At the same time, the player could be given a more clearly defined central role in Iraola's system, although the final distribution of responsibilities will depend on pre-season preparations, transfers and the structure of the rest of the midfield.
Liverpool have invested considerable funds in rebuilding their midfield in recent years, and Szoboszlai has been one of the central elements of that process. He arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023, when the club were simultaneously changing the generational structure of their midfield. Liverpool officially confirmed the transfer at the time, while British media reported that a £60 million release clause had been activated and that a five-year contract had been signed. He had previously won two DFB-Pokal trophies in Germany and scored 20 goals while providing 22 assists in 91 appearances for Leipzig, according to figures published by Liverpool. His adaptation to the Premier League was not completely linear, but each season brought a broader repertoire of responsibilities and greater importance within the team.
From talented signing to potential dressing-room leader
Szoboszlai is not important solely because of his age and statistics. He has been captain of the Hungary national team since 2022, while UEFA highlighted him ahead of the 2024 European Championship as the player who was set to become the youngest captain in the history of European Championship final tournaments. Such experience in leading a national team increases his value in a club environment, particularly during a period of generational change and the departures of experienced players. This Is Anfield states that Liverpool are increasingly seriously considering him as a candidate for a greater leadership role, including a possible future position within the captaincy hierarchy. The club have not officially confirmed this for now, but his playing time, responsibility in key moments and behaviour on the pitch support such an assessment.
Leadership in a modern team is not limited solely to wearing the captain's armband. It includes a willingness to receive the ball under pressure, complete defensive duties, maintain intensity when the result is unfavourable and accept a position that is not ideal for personal statistics. During the 2025/26 season, Szoboszlai repeatedly demonstrated precisely this breadth of responsibility. His four free-kick goals provided the team with a direct contribution, while his appearances at right-back showed a willingness to put the team's needs ahead of his preferred role. In an official interview with Liverpool in September 2025, he said that the position in which he plays is not decisive for him as long as he can help in the fight for trophies.
A contract that would keep him at the club significantly beyond 2028 would therefore also send a clear message to the rest of the dressing room. The club would show that they reward progress, availability and the acceptance of responsibility, rather than only goals or market reputation. For younger players, Szoboszlai's journey offers an example of how a role can be expanded through off-the-ball work and tactical discipline. For the more experienced members of the team, positioning him as a future leader could help with the transfer of responsibility over the next several seasons. Such a process, however, must be confirmed through results and consistency, and a new contract in itself does not guarantee that the player will automatically receive a formal captaincy role.
Why Liverpool are acting before the current contract expires
Extending a contract two years before its expiry is not unusual when a club assesses that a player's sporting and market value has increased. Waiting until the summer of 2027 would leave Liverpool in a considerably weaker negotiating position because Szoboszlai would then enter the final 12 months of his contract. Potential buyers could count on a reduced transfer fee, while interest from major European clubs would become stronger as soon as a realistic possibility of a transfer emerged. Resolving the situation earlier reduces that risk, protects the player's value and allows the sporting department to plan investment without uncertainty surrounding one of the most important positions. At the same time, a longer contract would not rule out a future transfer, but it would give Liverpool greater control if an offer that the club and the player wished to consider were to emerge one day.
For Szoboszlai, the decision is equally important. He will turn 26 in October 2026, which means the new contract would cover a period often regarded in football as the peak of a midfielder's physical and tactical maturity. By remaining at Liverpool, he would retain a stable environment, familiarity with the league and the team, and an opportunity to develop his central role further under the new coach. On the other hand, signing a long-term contract also brings greater expectations: he will be required to turn the level he reached in the 2025/26 season into the standard rather than the exception. His next step will therefore not be measured only through goals and assists, but also through his influence on results in the biggest matches and his ability to lead the team through changing periods.
The latest development in the negotiations shows that Liverpool do not want to postpone the decision. At the beginning of July, reports were still discussing talks without a final breakthrough, while the report from 16 July states that the signing of a new long-term contract is now expected very soon. Until the club publishes official confirmation, the length and financial structure of the agreement will remain unknown. However, the very intention to tie Szoboszlai to Anfield sends a clear sporting message: in the new era under Iraola, the Hungarian captain is no longer merely one of the important midfielders, but a player around whom Liverpool want to build the team's identity, continuity and leadership.
Sources:
- This Is Anfield – report from 16 July 2026 on the expected new long-term contract, the negotiations and the player's performances to date (link)
- This Is Anfield – overview of the status of negotiations from 7 July 2026, the beginning of talks and both sides' desire to reach an agreement (link)
- Liverpool FC – official announcement of Szoboszlai's 2025/26 Men's Player of the Season award and seasonal statistics (link)
- Liverpool FC – official announcement about the free-kick against Arsenal being voted Goal of the Season (link)
- Liverpool FC – official profile and overview of Szoboszlai's career, trophies and arrival from RB Leipzig (link)
- Liverpool FC – official confirmation of Dominik Szoboszlai's transfer in July 2023 (link)
- Liverpool FC – official confirmation of Andoni Iraola's appointment as head coach in June 2026 (link)
- UEFA – interview and context regarding Szoboszlai's captaincy role with the Hungary national team (link)