Jamie Carragher has expressed concern over the potential backlash Liverpool fans might face if the club fails to manage the contract situations of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah effectively.
Despite the promising start under new manager Arne Slot, the contract status of these three pivotal players casts a shadow over Anfield.
As it stands, all three stars are set to be free agents at the end of the current season.
Their contracts expiring simultaneously could create significant unrest among the fan base, particularly if Liverpool’s ownership, FSG (Fenway Sports Group), mishandles the situation.
Speaking on the ‘Stick to Football’ podcast, Jamie Carragher said: “I think his situation at Liverpool is really interesting. I’ve been thinking about this the last couple of weeks, in that you’ve got three players, and I don’t know if this was the same at United, but I always feel when you’re at Liverpool and you’re a local player, not that you want to leave the club, but leaving the club is difficult.
“So you’ve got three players in Van Dijk, Salah and Trent, and I think the reaction of Liverpool supporters, if say the three of them went in the summer for free, or one of, say Salah goes, I think most Liverpool fans will go ‘you’re legend, we got you for £40m, well look what you’ve done, you’re amazing, and go and enjoy whatever’.
“I think it would be the same with Van Dijk, but with Trent it will be different, they won’t.”
Ian Wright interjected: “There’s a Steven Gerrard vibe.”
Carragher: “Yeah, and if you go through it, it happened to [Steve] McManaman when he went to Madrid, there was no like, oh good luck, you’re going to the biggest club in the world.
“It was a bit like, who do you think you are going there? Going there for free. Stevie when he [nearly] went to Chelsea.”
Concerns over contract management
Carragher’s observations underscore the gravity of the situation.
While Liverpool is optimistic about retaining Alexander-Arnold, the delay in securing his long-term commitment continues to fuel anxiety.
Looking ahead, Liverpool faces further contract challenges with key players like Ibrahima Konate, Andrew Robertson, and Caoimhin Kelleher, all of whom have contracts expiring in the summer of 2026.
Slot will need to navigate these negotiations carefully to avoid another potential crisis.
Kelleher, in particular, has been vocal about his desire to leave due to limited playing time, with reports indicating his dissatisfaction with being second choice behind Alisson.
With Giorgi Mamardashvili joining the ranks, Kelleher’s time at Liverpool is set to come to and end.
If FSG mishandles the current contract negotiations or fails to secure Alexander-Arnold and the others, it could lead to a turbulent period for Liverpool.
The fan base’s reaction to such a scenario would likely be severe, making it crucial for the club to manage these situations with care to maintain harmony and competitive stability.
