Jamie Carragher is disappointed in Trent Alexander-Arnold over his potential free transfer exit from Liverpool. The 26-year-old right-back is reportedly close to signing a contract with Real Madrid. Gary Neville placed most of the blame on Liverpool’s owners and their contract strategy, saying, "A £250 million gap is going to open up."
The situation surrounding the potential departures of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is creating major ripples across English football, sparking widespread debate among fans, pundits, and former players.
The idea that three of Liverpool’s most iconic stars could walk away from Anfield for free at the end of the season is almost unthinkable yet it's quickly becoming a very real possibility.
The subject took centre stage during the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast, where Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville didn’t hold back in their criticism of how things have been handled. Their focus was not only on the players themselves but also on the broader implications for the club’s identity, competitive future, and the responsibility of ownership group Fenway Sports Group (FSG).
Carragher, a Liverpool legend and lifelong supporter of the club, voiced his frustration primarily with Alexander-Arnold’s situation. The 26-year-old right-back, who came through the youth academy and has become a symbol of the club’s local pride, is reportedly close to joining Real Madrid on a free transfer. Carragher described it as a “disappointment,” not just for the team but for what it represents. “He’s one of our own,” Carragher said. “A Scouser, raised at Liverpool, winning trophies with the club and now he’s walking away when we’re still at the top? That’s hard to take.”
He went on to point out that Liverpool remain one of the biggest clubs in the world, regularly fighting for the Premier League title and making deep runs in the Champions League. “We’re not in a rebuild. We’re contenders every season. If I were Trent, I’d be thinking about legacy. We’re one league title behind Manchester United imagine being the player who helps us match or surpass them. You stay another seven or eight years, you could win three or four more titles and a couple of European cups.”
Carragher also speculated that Alexander-Arnold’s motives may go beyond football. “It’s not just about trophies anymore for some players,” he said. “I think Trent sees himself as a global brand and that’s not a criticism unique to him. A lot of modern players are thinking about image, marketability, lifestyle. But for Liverpool fans, hearing someone say they’d rather win a Ballon d’Or than the Champions League with the club that doesn’t sit well.”
Despite his disappointment, Carragher clarified that his concern was not with the financial aspect of Alexander-Arnold potentially leaving on a free. “Of course, you’d love to get £80 million for a player of his quality, but you also have to remember that he cost the club nothing. He came through the system. So financially, we break even. But emotionally and symbolically, it’s a big loss.”
Gary Neville echoed many of Carragher’s points but shifted the focus toward Liverpool’s ownership and long-term planning. He slammed FSG’s contract strategy, arguing that allowing three world-class players to reach the final months of their contracts is a failure in management. “You’re talking about Van Dijk, Salah, and Alexander-Arnold three of the best players in world football,” Neville said. “To let all three go into the final year of their deals is just bad business. A £250 million gap is going to open up. That’s the combined value walking out of the door for nothing.”
Neville added that clubs like Manchester City or Bayern Munich would never let a similar situation unfold. “If this happened at City, you’d have everyone in the boardroom answering tough questions. But with Liverpool, we’re told it’s part of a brilliant management strategy. I’m sorry I don’t buy that. This isn’t just about squad turnover; it’s about leadership, ambition, and protecting your assets.”
What’s most worrying, according to both pundits, is the uncertainty surrounding Van Dijk and Salah. While Alexander-Arnold seems increasingly likely to leave, the futures of the Dutch captain and the Egyptian superstar remain in limbo. Both are in their thirties, but both continue to perform at elite levels, and their presence in the squad is seen as vital to maintaining Liverpool’s status as title contenders. Losing all three in the same summer would not just be a blow it would be seismic.
This high-stakes drama comes at a critical juncture in Liverpool’s season. On Wednesday night, the Reds secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby a victory that kept them neck-and-neck with Manchester City and Arsenal in the Premier League title race. The result may have lifted spirits temporarily, but it also highlighted the contributions of players like Van Dijk and Salah, whose futures remain uncertain.
For now, Liverpool fans are caught between hope and anxiety. Hope that the team can deliver another league title under Jürgen Klopp’s leadership. Anxiety over the long-term direction of the club once this season ends. The potential loss of three generational players without any financial compensation and without clear replacements lined up raises serious questions about Liverpool’s vision for the future.
Carragher and Neville, both respected voices in the game, have made it clear: allowing Van Dijk, Salah, and Alexander-Arnold to leave for free would not just be poor business it would be a failure in club leadership. What happens over the next few months will define not only the club’s short-term ambitions but its long-term identity.
