Releasing Alexander-Arnold, Salah, And Van Dijk Will Be Liverpool's Disaster Start

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, two of the three players whose contracts expire at Liverpool in the summer (Instagram/@trentarnold66).

JAKARTA - Liverpool cruelly defeated Manchester United (3-0) at Old Trafford on September 1, 2024. One unforgettable picture that afternoon was Trent Alexander-Arnold during the long whistle that sounded pointing three fingers at the happy away supporters at Old Trafford.

However, on Sunday, January 5, 2025, Liverpool's struggle against Manchester United only resulted in a score of 2-2 at Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold walked with fatigue towards the dressing room to be replaced by Conor Bradley in the 86th minute, as the hosts struggled to win at the end of the game.

While Alexander-Arnold isn't the only player who failed to reach the top, post-match analysis shows he bears the burden of criticism from fans and experts.

He lost the ball 25 times against the Red Devils, did not win a single of his five duels, and recorded an accuracy of only 74.6 percent -- slightly below his season average of 76.5 percent.

It was an unforgettable afternoon for the England international on the weekend that will always be remembered in the memory of many Liverpool supporters.

If Alexander-Arnold - whose contract expires at the end of the season - hopes to silence the noise surrounding his future at Anfield with his goal celebration against West Ham United last week, it's natural to say his actions don't have the desired effect.

Given reports from Spain that the 26-year-old has committed to joining Real Madrid as a free agent in the summer that comes in preparation for a 5-0 win at London Stadium over West Ham on December 29, 2024, Alexander-Arnold also marked his first Premier League goal this season against the Hammers with his hands raised in his ears and made the movement "talk".

The celebration became the subject of concern, with some considering it a sign that talks about the departure of Alexander-Arnold would soon occur too early.

However, less than 48 hours later, Real Madrid officials hinted otherwise, as they approached Liverpool to sign the deputy captain in the January 2025 transfer window.

The offer was quickly rejected and no official offer was made. Liverpool's quick rebuttal appears to have thwarted Alexander-Arnold's idea of leaving his boyhood club this month.

Real Madrid's open interest has set the stage for what can now be a protracted transfer story.

It should be noted that the responsibility for this mess, which should be Arne Slot's calm debut season, is not entirely in the hands of Alexander-Arnold.

Prior to kick-off at Anfield against Manchester United, a banner was unfurled at Kop depicting the right-back, alongside team-mates Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, with the caption: 'FSG gave Mo & Co their money'.

This is a criticism if the three players, as is the current situation, leave the club as a free agent in a few months, as a striking negligence of Liverpool owners, Fenway Sports Group, and high-ranking officials.

Releasing Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Van Dijk will be the beginning of a disaster for Liverpool. Just look at Liverpool's previous failures which were accompanied by a number of warnings, especially that the last few years were watching major changes in the club, dressing room, and behind the scenes.

Usually, Liverpool-class clubs will try to secure players with new contracts when their contracts remain for about two years.

However, when Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Van Dijk were in such a position in the summer of 2023, Sports Director Julian Ward left the club after just one year in office.

Former Sports Director Wolfsburg, Jorg Schmadtke, was later recruited as a substitute. However, the scope of long-term planning was increasingly hampered when Jurgen Klopp announced in January 2024 that he would leave at the end of the 2023/2024 season.

So, it is understandable that Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Van Dijk will wait to see the direction of the club's journey under Klopp's successor, before they make concrete decisions about the future.

Alexander-Arnold in particular, has a close bond with Klopp, who gave him a professional debut and oversaw his rise to become one of the best right-backs in the Premier League. He has more assists than any other defender in competition history.

However, with former AFC Technical Director Bournemouth, Richard Hughes, officially taking over from Liverpool's sporting directors in June 2024, and with Slot starting his life on Merseyside, there is hope that progress will soon occur in negotiations.

While Salah has regularly voiced his frustration over his lack of progress in negotiations - recently confirmed that he is far from agreeing to a new deal.

Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold have remained largely silent about their own situation, with the latter only discussing their future openly once, after Liverpool's 3-0 win over Bournemouth in September 2024.

"I want to be a Liverpool player this season (at least), that's what I'm going to say."

"I've been at this club for 20 years. I've signed four or five contract extensions. None of the extensions have been announced to the public. This contract extension will also not be announced," Alexander-Arnold said.

At the time, it was seen as a commendable attitude, but as the rumors from Real Madrid got louder, Alexander-Arnold's silence was deafening.

True or wrong, the defender is considered to have a higher standard by his supporters than Salah or Van Dijk because he was born and raised on Merseyside.

Compensation for praise is tighter scrutiny when things don't go well. That's the lesson Alexander-Arnold is now taking in a difficult way.

It should be noted that, despite all Real Madrid's efforts, talks about contract extensions at Liverpool have been going on with Alexander-Arnold's camp for several months. The Reds insisted that the player had not shown any desire to leave.

Bahkan, jika bek tersebut memutuskan untuk mencari port baru pada musim panas, ada argument bahwa ia harus mengikuti keinginan terbaik Liverpool, membantu klub meraih gelar Liga Inggris dan Liga Champions.

He is not the first player to be tempted by the sparkling lights of Bernabeu, where trophies are almost certainly achieved and there is an opportunity to soar into stars.

With his two decades of service to his boyhood club, who can turn down his opportunity to explore new opportunities?

However, football is a lecherous game and there are most Liverpool fans who will feel betrayed if their local heroes leave. Moreover, it seems to be the beginning of a new era of interest under Arne Slot.

At a time when the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) determine how free the club can move in the transfer market, the prospect of losing local assets without reward will be painful.

The situation gave rise to a comparison between Alexander-Arnold and Steve McManaman, who left Liverpool to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in 1999.

Real Madrid's approach in January 2025 also has the potential to shake Liverpool as they seek the glory of the Premier League and Champions League.

In the end, Liverpool are in a sad situation that is partly the result of their own actions. A player who has done more than enough to be praised as one of the best players of all time the club has now become an easy target of anger from supporters.

Many fans who attended the match against Manchester United must have walked past the murals set up to honor Alexander-Arnold at Sybil Road, just one minute away from the stadium.

The mural depicts Alexander-Arnold with the words: "I'm just an ordinary kid from Liverpool whose dreams have just come true."

The emotional statement came after his team's victory in the 2019 Champions League final.

For the sake of Alexander-Arnold as well as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, clarity about their future must be established immediately or at risk of turning into a nightmare.