Chief Business of Football Writer for the Liverpool Echo, Dave Powell, has told us that keeping Trent Alexander-Arnold is the top priority for Liverpool.
Powell said: “The Trent one maybe seems most precarious because he is a player who is still in his prime, really should have a huge market value.”
“It seems most obvious for them to do because it is protected value, pay him what he is worth, and draw a line under it because you still have plenty of years left ahead of him.”
“For Liverpool, the most economically important one is getting Trent done.”
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Powell hopes Liverpool will retain the 32-year-old Salah and 33-year-old van Dijk too.
Salah’s future threatened to overshadow the Reds’ 3-0 victory away to Manchester United in September.
In a recent post-match interview, he said: “As you know it is my last year at the club.”
Meanwhile, at the end of last season, captain van Dijk said: “I am very happy. I love the club.”
Powell said: “Salah still looks like he could play until he is 45. Van Dijk is looking great again. But it is a lot of money sometimes to put down and commit to a longer-term contract on players like that. But the value is there in the short to medium term.”
“For Salah and van Dijk, that is just a case of how they make that work and make sure it is value for money. I would like to think they get all three done.”
Powell also praised the owners’ dealings in this area…
He said: “(FSG) have not made too many missteps in this area. It is hard to think of many who have left who have really kicked on.”
“I think they will probably have these things in hand because ultimately they are three key assets for Liverpool.”
Ultimately, Powell did not believe any of the trio would leave for free.
He added: “These conversations are happening and it is quite an intense period for all involved.”
“The club have plenty of room to manoeuvre. They have no PRS issues whatsoever. They have not spent massive money in the transfer market this summer so there is no huge outlay in terms of amortised costs. They have monies to spend on and maybe points to me to think they are going to place some of that into contract negotiations which is why I am quite calm they will get done what they wanted to do.”
“Ultimately, you want that transition process whereby you still have them in the building because they are impactful players whose value to the club is way in excess of what anyone else in the market could bring them right now.”
“Could they replace a player like Mo Salah in the market in his current form? Say he keeps that way for the next two years. I don’t think so.”
“I find it hard to believe they will allow a player who they turned down big money for last summer to depart for nothing and also for a player who they produced who has been so integral to the success story of the past few years that they would allow him to walk away for nothing. I find it unfathomable.”
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REDMEN REACTS
Whilst the current situation is far from ideal, there remains hope that all three superstar contracts will be resolved well in advance of their expiration and perhaps even before they can discuss their respective futures with other clubs.
All three hold huge importance to The Reds, however, there can be little doubt that with so many years ahead of him, Alexander-Arnold has to be priority number one for Richard Hughes and co.
By Mark Strickland
