Trent Alexander-Arnold could leave Liverpool if he doesn't sign new contract (Image: Getty)
Liverpool have been warned they could lose Virgil van Dijk to Real Madrid as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold next summer, with Graeme Souness admitting his concern at the prospect of losing both players.
Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold are considered indispensable parts of the Reds' squad, with Van Dijk captaining under Arne Slot and Alexander-Arnold still retaining his creative influence from full-back.
But the defensive pair's contract expires in June 2025 and could leave for free in nine months if they do not sign a new deal at Anfield.
Souness, 71, insisted Liverpool could not let three of their stars – Van Dijk, Alexander Arnold and Mohamed Salah – leave this summer, but admitted he could see Van Dijk ending up at the Santiago Bernabeu alongside Alexander-Arnold.
“Liverpool can’t let Trent, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk go,” Souness said on the Three Up Front podcast. “I could see Trent at Real Madrid, I could see Van Dijk there too.”
“The fact is that if you leave Liverpool, the only place you really want to go is Madrid. Van Dijk may be getting older, but he's an athlete. You can still get a few good years out of him.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted this could be his last season at Anfield (Image: Getty)
“He's a better player than the ones Real already have, like Antonio Rudiger. He's more of a footballer, a better athlete, better in the air and better with the ball. I wouldn't even compare the two.”
Liverpool have embarked on something of a crisis involving their three best players, with Salah and Van Dijk publicly addressing their futures and conceding they could leave.
Asked about the matter in a post-match chat following their 2-0 win over Brentford, Van Dijk, 32, remained tight-lipped about his contract negotiations with the club but insisted he was “very calm” about it.
“I'm very calm. I want to have the best season possible,” Van Dijk said. “I want to stay important this year. Whatever happens next year, we'll see.”
Mohamed Salah claims he was not offered a new contract by Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Salah, who has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia and had a £150million bid from Al-Ittihad rejected last summer, has claimed he has yet to receive any new offers from the club where he scored 214 goals in seven years.
“I had a good summer, I had a lot of time to stay with myself and think positively because as you know it's my last year at the club,” Salah told Sky Sports after the 3-0 win over Manchester United.
“I just want to enjoy it and I don't want to think about it. But I feel free to play football and we'll see what can happen next year.”
Alexander-Arnold has yet to speak on the matter, although it is reported that the 25-year-old could be swayed by interest from the Champions League holders.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1945045/Liverpool-Van-Dijk-Alexander-Arnold-Real-Madrid