Trent Alexander-Arnold 'may demand record Prem salary' with Real set to offer £500k a week

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has been tipped to become “the highest-paid player in the Premier League” if the club wants to keep him at Anfield. The 25-year-old, who has been with the Reds since joining as a five-year-old in 2004, has just 12 months left on his current deal with his future the subject of speculation amid links to Real Madrid.

It appears unlikely the La Liga club will now swoop before the summer transfer window closes on August 30, but as it stands, the England international will be a free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January. 

Alexander-Arnold’s current deal is reportedly worth £180,000-a-week, just over half of what is paid to the club’s top earner, Mo Salah.

And now former Manchester United and Watford keeper Ben Foster has argued the player holds all the aces in any potential negotiations with FSG. “You have probably £600 grand a week there between Van Dijk and Mo Salah alone, them two,” he said on his YouTube channel.

“About Trent Alexander-Arnold, he knows that if he signs a new four, five-year contract, he is straightaway a £100 million asset. If somebody wants to buy him when he signs a new contract, it’s £100 million minimum, absolute minimum.

“But Trent knows that, so he can say, right, you make me the highest-paid player in the Premier League and I will sign a new contract. And I could see that happening as well.”

And Foster also believes Alexander-Arnold can afford to call the club’s bluff if they refuse to meet his wage demands. “He could hold out for it because if he goes on a free transfer to Real Madrid, he’s getting £400, £500 grand a week,” he added.

Despite featuring at Euro 2024 with England this summer, Alexander-Arnold was included in Arne Slot’s starting XI in the win at Ipswich on Saturday. And he impressed in his 77 minutes, again showing his creative value as he helped set-up the opening goal for Diogo Jota. 

That follows a mixed tournament for him with the Three Lions in Germany. Alexander-Arnold was picked in midfield for the opening two group games by Gareth Southgate, but struggled before being axed from the starting line-up for the following five matches.

However, he memorably hammered home the winning penalty in England’s shootout win over Switzerland in the quarter-finals. And he clearly remains the firth choice right-back at Anfield, despite the emergence of Conor Bradley.

Since signing his first senior deal, Alexander-Arnold has made 311 club appearances, scoring 19 times. And under Jurgen Klopp, he played a pivotal role in the club winning the 2018/19 Champions League, and then the Premier League title the following season.