Jamie Carragher has Trent Alexander-Arnold fear as Liverpool icon 'not so sure'

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher is doubtful about the club’s ability to secure a new contract for Trent Alexander-Arnold, hinting that the defender might be eyeing an exit from his childhood team.

The Reds are on the brink of a potential crisis with key players Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk all approaching the end of their contracts at the end of this season.

Despite expectations that Liverpool would focus on renewing the contracts of their major players following a subdued summer transfer window, there has been little to no headway yet.

The departures of Salah and Van Dijk would undoubtedly be a significant setback for Liverpool and their new manager Arne Slot, but losing Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer could prove disastrous.

The 25-year-old, who has traditionally kept his contract talks under wraps, has been persistently linked with a move to Real Madrid.

In an exclusive chat with Liverpool.com, Carragher said: “The priority is Trent. That for me is not even a question or a debate.

“The most important one to sign is Trent just because of the age factor and how much longevity you’ll get out from him as a player as opposed to the other two.

“I was very confident they would all sign at the end of our season in the summer. I’m not so sure now, just because I’m thinking about what is the wait really if I’m being totally honest.

“I look at it and think, ‘Well, okay, are they still arguing or negotiating over money?’ Maybe for Mo and Virgil would it be a length of contract?

“Would the club be offering one, would they be wanting three or two, or the club offering two but they want three? You know, that type of thing.

“With Trent, I don’t really know what the hold-up would be. I’m sure Liverpool is gonna make him one of the highest-paid players or maybe the highest-paid player at the club and in the Premier League.

“That’s where he should be. He’s that great of a talent. It’s just whether he is looking at pastures new maybe. Because I’m sure top clubs would be sniffing around him.

“I think with the other two, yes they could leave on a free and go somewhere else, but I think it’d be difficult to go to many places better than Liverpool in terms of chances of winning the Champions League right now.

“I might be wrong, but I don’t think sort of Real Madrid would be looking at Salah or Van Dijk and not because they’re not good enough but just, you know, their age.

“But I would imagine they’re looking at Trent. There’s been rumors of that so I’m less comfortable. Listen, you have to be less confident the longer it goes on because the club wants nothing more than to announce that these three players have signed or certainly Trent has.

“No one wants this over their head or dragging on. So the longer it goes, the less confident I will be.”

Alexander-Arnold has already carved out a reputation as one of the Premier League’s finest right-backs, having won numerous trophies with Liverpool under the guidance of former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Now considered among the world’s best in his position, Alexander-Arnold’s versatility is a key asset.

The 25-year-old often ventures into midfield and even operates as a right-winger on occasion, showcasing his exceptional passing skills to create scoring opportunities.

With 59 assists and 15 goals to his name in the Premier League, it remains to be seen whether Alexander-Arnold will continue his career in England beyond this season.