Liverpool are reportedly making good progress in negotiations over a potential new contract for Trent Alexander-Arnold and have a date in mind as to when they hope the deal will be finalised.
According to 90min, the 24-year-old is in line to be rewarded with fresh terms which’d see him earn £250,000 per week, a near-40% increase on his current weekly wage of £180,000 (Capology).
Talks are understood to be progressing well, with the club hopeful that the deal can be clinched before Christmas, amid ‘active interest’ from LaLiga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Trent’s current contract runs until 2025, but he’s reportedly ready to pen fresh terms which’d extend his stay at Anfield by another two years on top of that.
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Nearly seven years on from making his senior Liverpool debut, the England international is among the longest-serving members of Jurgen Klopp’s squad, having accrued 277 appearances a month before his 25th birthday (Transfermarkt).
His status at Anfield is perhaps best illustrated by him being made vice-captain during the summer following the departures of both Jordan Henderson and James Milner, a sure sign that the manager sees Trent as one of his most trusted lieutenants.
The 24-year-old has had his critics in recent months, and can be susceptible to defensive lapses, but what he offers the team in an attacking and creative sense is near-unrivalled. You only need to look at his authoritative display against Aston Villa a fortnight ago for evidence of that latter trait.
Liverpool lost two of their main leaders over the summer, and several of their key players are now into their 30s, so Trent’s influence will become even more crucial as he now enters his peak years.
It’s only right that the Reds have offered him a wage increase which’d make him the second-highest earner at Anfield with all else being equal (Capology), and ideally the finer points of the proposed new contract can be settled in the near future so that a core asset is tied down until 2027 at the earliest.
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Similar increases are required for Diaz, Kelleher, Elliot and Jones. Paying them so much below their value, because contractually you can, is a stupid strategy. Diaz is worth far more than his £55k/week. How is Kelleher on £10k/wk a sixth of Adrian’s £60k/wk. Elliot on £40k and worse Jones on 15K/week is a joke.
What a legend