Contract talks for TAA hit obstacle as Liverpool won't offer higher wage

Contract talks between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool have stalled due to the Anfield club's reluctance to meet the full-back wages demands, according to a report.

The 26-year-old is one of three star players who could leave the club for nothing at the end of the season. Alongside Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, the Reds have the unenviable task of negotiating new terms with the trio, who all remain among the best players in their respective positions.

But Alexander-Arnold, the youngest of the three and a graduate of the club's academy, is perhaps the player fans would hope to keep most of all.

However, according to The Sun, it seems the chances of him remaining with his boyhood club reduces with every passing day. The outlet claim that the Reds are reluctant to hand the Englishman wages that would exceed those offered to Van Dijk or Salah.

There are fears that this could cause some disharmony in the ranks, the report alleges. Liverpool have made several offers to improve Alexander-Arnold’s £180,000-a-week deal amid strong interest from Real Madrid.

Last month, Marca, a prominent outlet allied to the Spanish giants, claimed that the Reds are growing increasingly worried that no new deal will be agreed.

Madrid are thought to believe that Liverpool may be willing to do business in January to recoup any kind of fee for one of their most-important players.

Besides Alexander-Arnold the Reds are also looking to agree new deals for Salah and Van Dijk.

Salah issued almost a plea for negotiations earlier this season when he suggested there had been no talks, with there still no sign of any agreement with any of the three players.

Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool in 2006, while Van Dijk signed in 2018 and Salah 2017.

Between them, they have made more than 950 appearances for the Anfield club, who have made a superb start to the  campaign under new boss Arne Slot. Earlier this month the Dutchman insisted that he is not worried about the ongoing uncertainty as long as the three players continue to perform on the pitch.

'For me the contract situation could become a problem if the players don't perform as well as they do at the moment,' Slot said.

'Of course it's not sure that if, if, if they perform not as good any more that it has anything to do with their contract situation.

'At the moment all three of them are in a good place, all of them perform really, really, really well and there are ongoing discussions, as Virgil said, with the people he has to talk with, and that's not me as you know. I talk with him to him about other things.

'Let's wait and see but all what he said is completely right in that he doesn't exactly know what the future will be as long as he doesn't sign the contract yet.'