The scintillating start to the season for Liverpool could get overshadowed in the coming months due to the uncertainty surrounding the futures of their key stars.
The Merseyside giants are sitting at the top of the Premier League table with six wins in their opening seven league games at the start of the season.
Arne Slot has wasted little time in leaving his mark on the team and the Reds have emerged as potential contenders to win the Premier League this season.
Their start to the season is also being played down in certain quarters with suggestions that their credentials as title contenders will get stiffer tests after the international break.
However, there could be more trouble on the horizon as Liverpool are facing the threat of losing Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold for nothing next season.
The three players are in the final year of their respective contracts and Real Madrid are clearly interested in snapping up Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Real Madrid settle on a plan to recruit the Liverpool star
The European champions are keeping tabs on the right-back and have been in contact with the player and his representatives.
Real Madrid are trying to gauge whether Alexander-Arnold would be open to making a move but the defender has not made a decision yet.
He is ready to delay the talks over a new deal with Liverpool to keep his options open in the coming months.
According to Marca, Real Madrid are not planning to make any offer to the defender before the January transfer window.
Alexander-Arnold will be free to discuss a pre-contract with clubs outside England from January onwards if he doesn’t sign a new deal at Liverpool.
Real Madrid want their approach for the defender to be completely legal and beyond any reproach.
They are prepared to wait until January and see whether the defender agrees to sign a new deal with the Reds.
Liverpool have been growing nervous as they do not want to lose a player of Alexander-Arnold’s quality on a free transfer.
The club are expected to come under heavy criticism if a Liverpool-born academy product leaves the club at the peak of his powers next summer.
