Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract talks stalling with Liverpool reluctant to offer higher wages than two top stars
CONTRACT talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold are stalling — as Liverpool are reluctant to offer him higher wages than Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
The Reds are negotiating with all three stars about extending deals that expire next summer, which has made matters complicated at Anfield.
At 26, Alexander-Arnold is younger than both Salah, 32, and Van Dijk, 33, and would have a far higher resale value than his team-mates if he commits his future.
Yet Liverpool are aware that offering the right-back the biggest deal of the three could cause ructions, particularly halfway through the season.
Liverpool have made several offers to improve Alexander- Arnold’s £180,000-a-week deal amid strong interest from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain but are yet to reach agreement.
The England defender has not made a decision on his future despite claims in a Spanish newspaper that Liverpool “already know that he will not renew”.
While he has not asked for parity with Van Dijk and Salah, who are currently on £220,000 and £350,000 a week respectively, he could earn more than that at both PSG and Real.
The Spanish club in particular have become experts at offering huge wages and signing-on fees to players whose existing contracts are running down.
And Alexander-Arnold has been a long-standing target for Real, leading to concern at Anfield that he is the least likely of their star trio to sign a new deal.
Van Dijk would like to stay at Liverpool but is locked in a stand-off over the length of contract the club will offer him.
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Salah’s future depends on whether the Reds will meet his wage demands.
And he once again hinted he may quit Anfield.
The Egyptian star, 32, cryptically posted on social media: “No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.”