Report claims exit for Liverpool star almost complete with club confident

A worrying new Liverpool exit claim has emerged, with one star player now reportedly close to completing a deal to join another club.

Liverpool contract concerns

While Reds supporters will be hoping to see new faces arrive at Anfield in January and next summer, the contract situation of three star players is dominating the headlines currently.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all out of contract at Liverpool at the end of this season, at which point the iconic trio will be allowed to leave on a free transfer. They are even able to strike a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January 1st.

It remains to be seen how many of the three will sign extensions with the Reds, but as things stand, it arguably looks as though Van Dijk and Salah are the most likely to. Both are now in their 30s and there are no specific clubs being mentioned as alternative options for them, so the hope is that their futures are sorted sooner rather than later.

With Alexander-Arnold, however, there is constant speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid, with the reigning Champions League winners seeing him as a perfect option to come in and be Dani Carvajal’s long-term successor at right-back. That’s not to say that a new contract won’t be signed, and one has been offered, but it feels far from a given currently.

Alexander-Arnold close to leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Alexander-Arnold is edging closer to joining Real Madrid from Liverpool, with an agreement ‘almost complete’.

A January switch is preferred by the La Liga giants but could be unlikely; however, there is confidence at the Bernabeu that they can strike a summer deal for the services of the 26-year-old.

This isn’t an update that any Liverpool fan will enjoy seeing, considering Alexander-Arnold is arguably someone with more ability than any other full-back in world football.

At 26, his prime years are also potentially about to arrive, unlike Van Dijk and Salah, so to lose their vice-captain at this point in his career would be an almighty blow. He is irreplaceable in terms of his technical ability and creativity, with Neil Jones

saying of him back in 2022: “He may be flawed, but he’s still a genius. But then you knew that anyway, right?”

Ultimately, the decision rests with Alexander-Arnold, who has to weigh up whether to remain at Liverpool and possibly end up becoming captain of his boyhood club, or succumb to the lure of Madrid, playing alongside some of the biggest names in world football.

In fairness, it is easy to see why he may feel conflicted, considering he has won all there is to win for the Reds, with a fresh challenge at his peak appealing to him.

The likes of Steve McManaman and Michael Owen did the same in their careers, however, and it arguably affected their reputations among Liverpool supporters, which he may be wary of.