Trent Alexander-Arnold

[Pablo]

I'm predicting an interview with LFC dropping tomorrow to explain his decision to leave. If he is going to do it this is the window. We don't play until Wednesday so if he wants to make it official this is the least distruptive time to do it.

[danperkins]

Yeah I defo think VVD has at least two more seasons in him at a high level. Maybe three at a push.

Apparantly the length of his offered contract was/is the issue with his new contract offer.

The club offered two years on slightly better financial terms and VVD wanted three or four years.

Supposedly a counter offer was made of a two year contract with the option of a third year based on form/appearances but that was knocked back.

Imo with Virgil, even if he is to slow down in 2 or 3 years, with the quality he has (literal world class) and the relaxed style he plays at, he has another 3 level easy at top level. You can see why the likes of PSG & Madrid would been clamoring over him and unfortunately they have the funds to offer him more than we can.

For me, I absolutely get the pragmatism involved here but Virgil would probably be the one to push the boat out on.

[baitman]

Some good points about trent not being the player he once was, not so easy on the eye, coasting through games...
If he has been offered a 300k contract then I'd guess its so we could then sell him for a big fee and maybe not because we really wanted to keep him
Trent has already decided he's off, nothing the club could do, but maybe they should have been trying to wrap this up 18 months ago so he could still go and we get the fee rather than trent get a massive sign on bonus as well as a fat contract.
I feel trent has been following Madrids instructions to maximise his fees.
We've all seen vvds frustration with him at times, so I'm glad he's going. Local lad, but that isn't the most important thing.
Hasta luego.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Of the three, I think VVD is the least gamble tbh. Trent wouldn't be a gamble, but given his rattyness I'd like him to leave anyway. I would be comfortable with VVD on a three year deal, but our wage bill is huge and I can see Edwards wanting a total rebuild.

Yeah just taking VVD and Salah first.

Say 400k a week for Salah for three years and 350k a week for VVD for 3 years.


Salah = an outlay of 64.4m

VVD = 54.6m



In Salah's case that 64.4m might equal a new player on a 100k a week contract for five years plus the remaining 38.4m going towards the transfer fee.


For VVD his three year contract would be for a new player a 100k a week for five years and 28.6m left over to go towards topping up a transfer.


So as good as both are, I get the logic of not wanting to break the bank on shorter term contracts when the same money could go towards longer term ones.

Or looking at what the rumoured offer for TAA is (260k a week for five plus a 45m +5m signing on) which has a value of 117.60m over the contract length.


We may well be looking at what the three players want, and thinking that despite how good they are, what they are asking for might go a big chunk of the way towards a rebuild.

Though still would take the gamble on VVD with those numbers.

[DerKrampus]

Give VVD a three year deal and flog him to Saudi if his legs go before his contract's up.

[The_weatherman]

Of the three, I think VVD is the least gamble tbh. Trent wouldn't be a gamble, but given his rattyness I'd like him to leave anyway. I would be comfortable with VVD on a three year deal, but our wage bill is huge and I can see Edwards wanting a total rebuild.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Yeah looking at it now, you can't really blame the club. The way our club is run doesn't afford us to throw silly wages at aging players. If you think about Edward's and how he wanted to get rid of Henderson and Milner when Klopp was here, he is pragmatic and he is ruthless and that is exactly why we got him back and he is exactly what you need if a manager is too close to the players. No matter what Salahs numbers are on paper, we simply cannot give a 33 year old 400k pw, we can't do that. Trent has been under performing for years, has lost any pace he might have had and is a burden defensively, he also wants huge wages. I don't think Slot will mind losing him out of the three. Virgil though, losing him is a problem, he still has 3 years at top level and it's just unfortunate that he's so good that everyone wants him.

It is what it is, the club has offered what it can and unfortunately we are probably going to have to stomach losing them. Let's just hope our recruitment is spot on for the next LFC generation.

Yeah I defo think VVD has at least two more seasons in him at a high level. Maybe three at a push.

Apparantly the length of his offered contract was/is the issue with his new contract offer.

The club offered two years on slightly better financial terms and VVD wanted three or four years.

Supposedly a counter offer was made of a two year contract with the option of a third year based on form/appearances but that was knocked back.

[kingfunk]

Yeah looking at it now, you can't really blame the club. The way our club is run doesn't afford us to throw silly wages at aging players. If you think about Edward's and how he wanted to get rid of Henderson and Milner when Klopp was here, he is pragmatic and he is ruthless and that is exactly why we got him back and he is exactly what you need if a manager is too close to the players. No matter what Salahs numbers are on paper, we simply cannot give a 33 year old 400k pw, we can't do that. Trent has been under performing for years, has lost any pace he might have had and is a burden defensively, he also wants huge wages. I don't think Slot will mind losing him out of the three. Virgil though, losing him is a problem, he still has 3 years at top level and it's just unfortunate that he's so good that everyone wants him.

It is what it is, the club has offered what it can and unfortunately we are probably going to have to stomach losing them. Let's just hope our recruitment is spot on for the next LFC generation.

Exactly this.

[danperkins]

Yeah looking at it now, you can't really blame the club. The way our club is run doesn't afford us to throw silly wages at aging players. If you think about Edward's and how he wanted to get rid of Henderson and Milner when Klopp was here, he is pragmatic and he is ruthless and that is exactly why we got him back and he is exactly what you need if a manager is too close to the players. No matter what Salahs numbers are on paper, we simply cannot give a 33 year old 400k pw, we can't do that. Trent has been under performing for years, has lost any pace he might have had and is a burden defensively, he also wants huge wages. I don't think Slot will mind losing him out of the three. Virgil though, losing him is a problem, he still has 3 years at top level and it's just unfortunate that he's so good that everyone wants him.

It is what it is, the club has offered what it can and unfortunately we are probably going to have to stomach losing them. Let's just hope our recruitment is spot on for the next LFC generation.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Im just annoyed that the club have allowed a situation where three of our best players can all leave on free transfers.

I don’t blame Trent for wanting to leave, it’s his life to do what he wants with.

If all three decided they wanted to run their contracts down before deciding their next moves, what could the club do about it?


The club could make contract offers or put them on the transfer list, but the players still can just say no and see out their contracts.

If the club has made offers to all players (and assuming those offers did not include pay cuts) and got knocked back, then surely just as the players are free to make their own choices, the club also did what it could, within reason, to encourage them to extend their contracts.

[Sus]

Im just annoyed that the club have allowed a situation where three of our best players can all leave on free transfers.

I don’t blame Trent for wanting to leave, it’s his life to do what he wants with.

Yep agreed - this isn't all on the club but they must take some responsibility for this situation, such a mess

[rudedog]

Im just annoyed that the club have allowed a situation where three of our best players can all leave on free transfers.

I don’t blame Trent for wanting to leave, it’s his life to do what he wants with.

[Sus]

I guess there are positives to this. He hasn’t been passing the ‘eye test’ for a while and I suspect the club will have lots of data to back that up. His replacement will most likely be more dynamic going forward, be a better defender, cost way less in wages and might even hit the target with the odd free kick. We’ll miss the long passing but we’ll be stronger overall.

I agree there are positives but not sure the club agrees on the eye test, otherwise they wouldn't have put a 300k per week contract in front of him. Not saying he's worth that, just that the club clearly didn't want to lose him

[kingfunk]

I honestly think Slot won’t be too bothered about this either.

[Catrin]

I guess there are positives to this. He hasn’t been passing the ‘eye test’ for a while and I suspect the club will have lots of data to back that up. His replacement will most likely be more dynamic going forward, be a better defender, cost way less in wages and might even hit the target with the odd free kick. We’ll miss the long passing but we’ll be stronger overall.