Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has insisted that there is still time for Trent Alexander-Arnold to pen a contract extension at Anfield before the season ends — despite widespread reports that he has chosen to make a move to Real Madrid.
“I think there is just a feeling that they would love him [to stay] because of previous comments when he has said he wants to lift trophies with Liverpool and be Liverpool captain,” he said on Football Focus.
“But as you grow up, your ambitions change. I know there has been a lot made of the comments he made about saying those things — that he wanted to stay at Liverpool for the rest of his career — but suddenly it becomes a job.
“Your mentality changes and your ambition changes and suddenly you go, ‘It wouldn’t be a bad thing to move to Real Madrid‘. However, this is not a done thing. I think there is still an opportunity where he could stay. There is still that element where he is almost going, ‘If you want me, you’re going to have to pay for me’.
“If you are Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they’re on astronomical salaries at the moment. Because Trent is a local lad, he won’t be on the type of money they are on. He will be thinking ‘Pay me what they are being paid’. It might be a case of closing that gap.
“But the other side of that, and what Liverpool fans are getting frustrated with, is that he is potentially going to leave on a free transfer. This is a player who you haven’t paid anything for and has given you eight incredible years at the club.”
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Steven Gerrard issued a statement about leaving Liverpool for Chelsea in 2005, publicly confirming his desire to leave after the Stamford Bridge side submitted a $41 million (£32 million) bid. That was weeks after he won the Champions League in Istanbul. At 25 years old, he wanted to move on, feeling that Liverpool had dragged its feet over a new contract. Shortly after, he performed a U-turn and ended up remaining on Merseyside until he joined L.A. Galaxy in 2015.
Liverpool.com says: Losing Alexander-Arnold would be a huge blow and while it is not done yet and the player himself has remained silent, it has always felt like the likeliest exit of the three big expiring contracts. As long as Liverpool finds a way to come to an agreement with Salah and Van Dijk, it will be able to move on, even from such a unique talent.
The bigger problem for Arne Slot would be losing more than one of his key men at once. Trying to replace Salah or Van Dijk at any time would be impossible but doing so this summer would suddenly feel massive if Alexander-Arnold leaves as well. It is gearing up to be a huge period for the club — just after it will have won the Premier League title again.
