Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold is edging closer to a Real Madrid move and could be followed by more exits – which would leave the Reds needing to find huge sums this summer
Liverpool are closing in on a second Premier League title but could face some serious problems this summer – just as Arne Slot is beginning to build something at Anfield. A number of the club’s main stars – Mohamed Salah among them – are all out of contract.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk could also follow with the former continuing discussions over a move to Real Madrid. That noise has continued to swirl whilst Liverpool have posted an impressive campaign, albeit it has taken a turn in recent weeks.
The Reds had been eyeing a treble, which could’ve included the Champions League. Now they’re out of Europe and were beaten in the Carabao Cup final by Newcastle.
It means all eyes are now on the Premier League, where they hold a 12 point lead over Arsenal in second. Liverpool will resume domestic action with a game against neighbours Everton next week, but here are the latest headlines coming out of Anfield.
Carragher not angered by Trent exit
Jamie Carragher has defended Alexander-Arnold ahead of his possible free transfer to Real. The Liverpool icon admits he is disappointed that the academy graduate has decided to leave Anfield instead of pursuing more major honours with his boyhood club.
READ MORE: Harry Kane tipped for blockbuster Liverpool transfer to break Premier League recordREAD MORE: Alan Shearer bucks trend with his view on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool exit
Real Madrid are long-term admirers of Alexander-Arnold, who has been free to speak with overseas clubs since January after entering the final six months of his deal. It has emerged this week that an agreement to take the player to Spain is all close to done – which has divided opinion.
He said on the Stick to Football podcast: “It seems like there’s not one thing people are unhappy with – it’s leaving on a free or that he should have come out and told the club earlier – people are angry for three or four different things. I’m not angry about him going on a free. In an ideal world, Liverpool would get £70m or £80m for him to reinvest, but you can’t have it both ways as a supporter.”
Neville predicts £250m issue
Liverpool face being plunged into a £250million hole if they fail to keep hold of Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah claims to Gary Neville. The uncertain futures of their three biggest stars have cast a huge shadow throughout the season and remained a talking point.
If all three left it would create a massive hole in his squad heading into Slot’s second summer as Liverpool boss. The greater problem for the manager, according to Neville, is that the Merseyside outfit will not have the funds available to replace the three players if they were all to leave.
He said: “They won’t have the money to replace them, and you could argue there is a quarter of a billion pounds in those three. You’re talking about one of the best strikers in Europe, one of the best centre-halves in Europe and one of the best right-backs in Europe.”
FSG blamed for contract blunders
Neville also highlighted the role of Liverpool owner’s FSG in the contract sagas surrounding three of their leading lights. He claims their failure to tie down Real Madrid-bound Alexander-Arnold to a new contract as “unforgivable”.
Alexander-Arnold has been in talks with Los Blancos and it is reports that he has agreed a long-term deal worth around £250k-a-week – which will be topped up by a huge eight-figure signing bonus. He said: “A couple of years ago around the time where Virgil Van Dijk was going through a patch where he was teetering a little bit and (Mo) Salah was there, they looked at them and thought, ‘we’ll wait with you,’. And the players are probably holding that against them now.
“With Trent, it’s unforgivable. Whether you’re going through a turbulence in the boardroom or not, if you’re the owner of the club and you look at Trent two years ago, even if you have disruption in your sporting department, you look at him and think, ‘we’ve got to sign him up, he’s one of our own.'”
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