Virgil van Dijk is gutted that Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving Liverpool but says you cannot compare the 26-year-old’s situation to his or to Mohamed Salah’s.
When the season began and it became clear that FSG would need to navigate a triple contract negotiation with its three best players while a new manager was finding his feet, it was always destined to cause damage somehow.
The owners need to hold their hands up and accept they allowed a very risky situation to occur by allowing their three most valuable assets to come within months of walking away for free.
In some way, FSG should be relieved they are able to hold onto van Dijk and Salah even if it will cost them a combined £835,000 per week but they are as much to blame as Alexander-Arnold for the disappointing end to his time on Merseyside.
Alexander-Arnold will join Real Madrid for free in July when his Liverpool contract expires at midnight on June 30th.
Virgil van Dijk finally comments on Trent Alexander-Arnold situation
Speaking after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday, van Dijk admitted he and the players are “gutted” that Alexander-Arnold is leaving this summer but says his situation – and Mo Salah’s – is incomparable to Trent’s.
“I wasn’t really expecting something, to be honest,” he said. “But it is what it is. The reaction happened. He has to deal with it. We as a team have to deal with that as well, by the way. But I think maybe he expected this.
“He made his decision and he had peace with it.
“We are gutted that he’s not here with us next year because he’s a fantastic player, with outstanding, exceptional qualities that we have all been seeing over the last seven years I’ve been here.”
“You can’t compare our situation”, says van Dijk
Alexander-Arnold took the decision to leave on a free transfer while Salah and van Dijk made it clear it was always their first choice to remain at the club and were vocal about it every chance they got.
On the other hand, the radio silence from Alexander-Arnold – the club’s vice-captain mind you – was not unnoticed by fans.
Van Dijk said: “You can’t compare our situation – me and Mo in this case – with Trent. I’m happy and proud to extend because for me there is no other place to be at this point.”
When asked if he tried to convince Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk added: “I was sorting my own stuff out, I had to secure my future as well and I was quite busy doing that.
“There was a lot of noise saying I had decided months ago but that wasn’t the case. I think a month ago we came to an agreement before I signed. I’m not the youngest any more and I have a family to provide for and I don’t want to be left in the dark.
“There were loads of other options but Liverpool is the place for me.”
