Trent Alexander-Arnold

[Exiled_red]

I dont think you can compare Sami to VVD.

Sami had no ego. As much as I love VVD, I do think he would be pissed off if he lost the captaincy.

The point is, what has Trent done to deserve the armband. Does he show leadership on the pitch? His petulant nature excludes him from that honour Perhaps if he can be substitued without throwing his toys out of the pram would be a good start. It might be bull**** anyway, but if it is true it is the height of sense of entitlement imho, and utterly disrespectful to Virg, who I think has earnt the captaincy

I don’t think Trent is a natural leader the way someone like VVD is. Which is OK if you are able to lead by example as Gerrard for example did, but I'm not sure Trent has that in him either. I'm not sure that he would make a great captain, I hope he signs a new contract and stays to prove me wrong, but looking around the group for captains / VC's at the moment I don't think you pick Trent

[danperkins]

I don’t think Trent is a natural leader the way someone like VVD is. Which is OK if you are able to lead by example as Gerrard for example did, but I'm not sure Trent has that in him either. I'm not sure that he would make a great captain, I hope he signs a new contract and stays to prove me wrong, but looking around the group for captains / VC's at the moment I don't think you pick Trent

[Norbs]

I don’t think Trent is a natural leader the way someone like VVD is. Which is OK if you are able to lead by example as Gerrard for example did, but I'm not sure Trent has that in him either. I'm not sure that he would make a great captain, I hope he signs a new contract and stays to prove me wrong, but looking around the group for captains / VC's at the moment I don't think you pick Trent

Good point. It's not just about seniority, it's about personality

[Paul12]

To state the obvious, we have VVD, Salah and Trent who could all leave on a free transfer at the same time. This is terrible contract management by the club regardless of how it plays out.

Sign them up before their contract runs down, or sell them.

I put zero blame on any of the players.

It takes two to dance, regardless of whether that dance is a contract extension or a sale.

[Corndog]

I am not surprised by all the negative comments, but I don't think it very fair. (Shock, horror internet-thingy in unfair moment!)

1 Not all players are one-club players and it is not reasonable for us to expect them to be. And, if you are not to be a one-club footballer, you have to move at some time.
2 The chance to ply one's trade in a different country for a while is very attractive for a lot of us (I did it), so why should it be different for a footballer?
3 As most of this site keep saying in different words, there is an inconsistency between the player Trent wants to be/thnks he is and the player Liverpool and many of its fans think they have. In such circumstances, a chance to move to a different environment that might enable him to get closer to his own vision is bound to be attractive.
4 Football fans invariably play the loyalty card in one direction only. Xabi Alonso clearly loved the Basque country but we didn't admonish him for moving to us rather than staying at Real Sociedad. Over the years, some players clearly loved our club and our city, yet we were still offering to drive him ourselves to clubs rumoured to be interested in buying them.

Just because Trent might want to go to RM does NOT mean that RM are bigger or better than our club; it would just mean that, at this point in his career, that is the club he would like to spend some years playing for.

All fair points. I hate the idea of him at Madrid though because of the politics of that club. There are so many examples I can think of where they don’t play the right team or have any coherent strategy outside of buying the best players.

That may not be best for him but it’s his choice obviously.

On the other hand, being an elite footballer is an extremely lucky and privileged thing. Playing for a historic and highly performant club like Liverpool fc even more so. To be a local and be able to do that is stupidly rare. From the perspective of a scouser who isn’t a pro footballer, I can absolutely understand the frustration and potential bewilderment.

[kemm1]

Slot could have been a ****show though. None of them had any reason to sign once they knew Klopp was leaving.

Slot got here with one year left on their deals. It should not have gotten there. Especially not for three players.

[kemm1]

It takes two to dance, regardless of whether that dance is a contract extension or a sale.

Then sell the player, don't let the contract run down. There is no excuse whatsoever to have three starting top class players contract running down in the same season. That's incompetence

[Kenneth]

Then sell the player, don't let the contract run down. There is no excuse whatsoever to have three starting top class players contract running down in the same season. That's incompetence

I think you missed the "whether that dance is a contract extension or a sale" part.

[kemm1]

I think you missed the "whether that dance is a contract extension or a sale" part.

Yes sorry. I think i am missing the point. Honestly not being difficult here, my view a club has a decision to make when a player has two years left on their contract.

Regardless of the reasons/excuses, we have three players who are widely regarded as the some of or the best in their positions in the world and all could leave on a free. That's the end result I'm focused on. I can't get past that.

[Norbs]

Realistically that's £250m of talent

[kemm1]

Realistically that's £250m of talent

[Cerbie]

According to TransferMarkt it’s £137m combined, but I think it’s probably closer to £200m unless we apply a Saudi premium.

It was a year ago when the club were no doubt starting to negotiate new contracts when Klopp dropped his bombshell. The previous summer we had replaced the whole midfield, and they were probably in the early stages of extension negotiations when Klopp surprised everyone. I think all 3 now realise Slot is the real deal and that they can play for us for longer as they age with this more controlled style of play.

I think Virgil will stay, I hope Mo does too - but I wish he would STFU crying to the press. As for Trent, the ball is in his court, I’ll be sad to see him go, but he is the easiest to replace as we have Bradley.

[kemm1]

According to TransferMarkt it’s £137m combined, but I think it’s probably closer to £200m unless we apply a Saudi premium.

It was a year ago when the club were no doubt starting to negotiate new contracts when Klopp dropped his bombshell. The previous summer we had replaced the whole midfield, and they were probably in the early stages of extension negotiations when Klopp surprised everyone. I think all 3 now realise Slot is the real deal and that they can play for us for longer as they age with this more controlled style of play.

I think Virgil will stay, I hope Mo does too - but I wish he would STFU crying to the press. As for Trent, the ball is in his court, I’ll be sad to see him go, but he is the easiest to replace as we have Bradley.

I think those are all valid and fair points, but the buck still stops with the people in charge (FSG). There are reasons, excuses that lead to end results.

Even if it all works out in the end, it's still reckless management.

[red g]

I think those are all valid and fair points, but the buck still stops with the people in charge (FSG). There are reasons, excuses that lead to end results.

Even if it all works out in the end, it's still reckless management.

I am not really sure it is. PLayer power is real. Time to negiotate contracts was last year. Klopp going put doubts in the players mind. If The alternative was sign or transfer listed? Where would we be now without them 3

IMO the club took a calculated gamble, If Slot works they will be happy to stay......Trent may have head turned but still pretty confident the other 2 will be here.

[BG1973]

⁰

Yes sorry. I think i am missing the point. Honestly not being difficult here, my view a club has a decision to make when a player has two years left on their contract.

Regardless of the reasons/excuses, we have three players who are widely regarded as the some of or the best in their positions in the world and all could leave on a free. That's the end result I'm focused on. I can't get past that.

When exactly should they have been put up for sale? I'm interested in the timeline of how you think that would have played out for the team in what were clearly Klopps last years. Do you think maybe we just thought let's go for everything while klopp still with us and let's not weaken the team by selling the captain, vice captain and main goal/ assist threat.