Paul Merson has issued a stark warning to Liverpool, suggesting that the unresolved contract situations of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk could create a “toxic” atmosphere at Anfield.
As it stands, all three players’ contracts are set to expire at the end of the season, with negotiations ongoing between Liverpool and each player’s representatives. The future of these key players remains uncertain, with speculation rife about their next moves.
The Liverpool ECHO reported in September that Salah is keen to extend his stay at Liverpool, while Alexander-Arnold has been linked with Real Madrid and Van Dijk’s future is also under scrutiny. Merson believes that the Anfield faithful could express their discontent towards the trio and the club if the contracts remain unresolved.
The former Arsenal star also speculated that one of the three might sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January – describing the situation as “a bit nervy”.
“I’m not sure if Van Dijk will do it, but one of the other two might (leave),” Merson told Sportskeeda. “I think it could be Alexander-Arnold, especially with talk about Real Madrid as well. Everything is perfect at Liverpool now, so no one is talking about this situation. But if they start losing games, it could get a little bit toxic with fans calling them out.
I might be wrong, but the fans will be angry, especially with someone homegrown like Alexander-Arnold if he doesn’t sign and they start losing. When you think of it, it’s actually quite unbelievable. They are probably the first three names on the teamsheet at Liverpool and yet they are out of contract in six months!”
All three players played a huge role in Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp, helping the team win the Premier League title, Champions League, FA Cup, Community Shield, Club World Cup, European Super Cup and two League Cups.
