Liverpool may have been offered a stunning reprieve over their hopes of extending Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract at Anfield after a Sky Sports reporter denied this week’s big news that a move to Real Madrid has been rubberstamped. TEAMtalk is able to share what we know about the saga, while an update on Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk has also emerged.
The 26-year-old falls out of contract at Anfield at the season’s end and, with no agreement reached on an extension, a free-transfer exit from Liverpool on July 1 – now just 94 days away – has been heavily suggested. And with Real Madrid making no secret of their desire to bring the right-back to the Bernabeu, this week appeared to bring confirmation that the move to the Spanish capital was now done and dusted.
That’s after a number of high-profile publications and journalists all confirmed that Alexander-Arnold has agreed a five-year deal with Real Madrid – earning him riches beyond his wildest dreams – and having also confirmed the move to Liverpool officials, the move now looked a dead certainty.
However, talk of that move may now be as nailed-on as initially reported for Alexander-Arnold, presenting some late – albeit small hope – of the player staying on Merseyside beyond this summer.
That’s after Sky Sports News reporter Melissa Reddy revealed the Reds vice-captain and Real Madrid themselves have both ‘reacted with surprise’ at reports, insisting nothing has been officially decided yet.
“Liverpool have made Alexander-Arnold lucrative offers to remain, but they understand the attraction of a new challenge, a fresh life and lifestyle experience, and the lure of being a Real player,” Reddy told Sky Sports.
“Both Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold were aligned in showing surprise at the stories that emerged this week, given nothing major has changed since January – no agreement has been reached, no deal has been signed, nor has a conclusion been communicated to either club.”
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Will Alexander-Arnold really quit Anfield?
Despite Reddy offering Liverpool some hope at potentially keeping the player, we understand the move to Real Madrid, while not made official yet, is still expected to go through.
We were told as far back as October that officials from the LaLiga giants have been in what was described to us as ‘constant contact’ with his representatives over the move, while our transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher claims Real Madrid have been on the player’s trail – and with the 33-times capped England star very much aware – of their interest from as far back as January 2023.
Now, some 26 months on, it would come as a major surprise to us were anything other than the move to the Bernabeu come to fruition.
Furthermore, the fact that several high-profile personalities, including Fabrizio Romano and Jamie Carragher, have both defended and appeared to confirm the move, would more than confirm that something is very definitely in the water.
In addition, respected journalist Henry Winter admits Liverpool supporters “will be feeling let down” by Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave Anfield for Real Madrid – but has insisted life goes on for the Reds and having named the player ideally suited to replace him at right-back.
Given the lure that the Spanish giants hold, together with the apparent £240,000 a week deal on offer – which is set to earn the player a personal fortune of over £62m before tax over the duration of his stay – it would come as no surprise were the move to ‘officially become official’ before the season is over.
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What about Salah and Van Dijk’s contracts?
Since the apparent confirmation of Alexander-Arnold’s impending move to Real has emerged, it’s also been suggested that the decision could have ramifications for Liverpool’s chances of keeping both Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who are both also out of contract this summer.
While some reports have suggested TAA’s exit gives Liverpool more freedom to offer higher wages, others have stated that his impending departure will also incentivise them too to quit this summer.
Providing an update on the saga, Reddy insisted that any decision from Alexander-Arnold would have zero bearing on the other pair’s chances of staying.
“Alexander-Arnold’s situation will have no bearing on what happens with Salah and Van Dijk as all contract offers have been drafted on individual merit, data and circumstances,” Reddy said. “The optimism is still strong that the pair will remain.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool have received a massive offer to sell Cody Gakpo, with a report revealing that a surprise Euro giant who are keen on a summer deal for the forward, though a potential replacement has already been suggested to Arne Slot.
Elsewhere, Darwin Nunez is increasingly likely to leave Anfield this summer and TWO surprise Premier League clubs are considering moves for the Uruguayan international, our reporter, Rudy Galetti, has revealed.
Sales of either would give the Reds the freedom to bring in new players of their own, and it has also been claimed that Liverpool have made contact to sign Jonathan David, with a report revealing the chances of the striker moving to Anfield in the summer transfer window.
IN-FOCUS: How Alexander-Arnold’s wages have risen over the years
TAA's wages over time: £3,000 per week, 2016-17, £12,000 per week 2017-18, £40,000 per week 2018-21, £180,000 per week 2021-