Liverpool will be treating one player differently to other stars in contract negotiations

Jamie Carragher has claimed that Trent Alexander-Arnold won’t be viewed in the same light as his fellow Liverpool stars when it comes to their expiring contracts. At present, local hero Alexander-Arnold, Reds icon Mohamed Salah and club captain Virgil van Dijk all have contracts set to expire in the summer of 2025, with no progress on negotiations yet reported.

While Salah – who recently confessed he was “more out than in” – and Van Dijk were brought to Merseyside, versatile defender Alexander-Arnold is a homegrown talent, born in West Derby.

Rumours are circulating that European giants Real Madrid hold the Liverpudlian in high regard, which could potentially sway Alexander-Arnold. However, Carragher fears that if his current contract situation deteriorates, pleasantries may be discarded.

“There’s no doubt for me that Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah will be treated differently than Trent Alexander-Arnold,” Carragher suggested on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.

“When you think about it, Mo Salah is on 350 to 400 grand a week – Liverpool signed him for £40million. Trent is probably on half that money, and he cost nothing, but there is no banner in the Kop saying, ‘give Trent his doll’, and there never will be one.”

This comment comes following a display of support from Liverpool supporters, who unfurled a banner at Anfield’s iconic Kop last month with the message: “He fires a bow. Now give Mo his dough.”

“I look at when Michael Owen left to go to Real Madrid, Steve McManaman did the same and was not thought of the same,” Carragher added. “Because when you’re a local player you’re almost seen as if you should be almost grateful to play for the club. ‘This is your club, who do you think you are’ almost type of thing.”

As per The Telegraph, Alexander-Arnold is being eyed up by admirers at the Bernabeu, mirroring the paths of Owen and McMananman with Real reportedly planning to snap him up on a free transfer next summer, echoing their acquisition of Kylian Mbappe from PSG this year.

“The Trent thing will start kicking off,” Carragher concluded. “I can assure you it won’t be fans saying, ‘give him what he wants’, it will be, ‘who does he think he is’.”