Have Liverpool admitted defeat in Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk talks?

Liverpool are scrambling to position themselves a little more favourably after losing the PR battles with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk over recent weeks. 

At the start of the summer, the club used mouthpieces to inform fans that the priority was to sort out what was going on with their skipper, vice-captain and talisman. The messaging then changed and Alexander-Arnold was earmarked as the priority, even ahead of potential incomings.

Read more: Real Madrid prepare PATHETIC Alexander-Arnold offer

We’re now into October and all three players are leaving at the end of the season when their contracts expire.

The trio have heaped all of the pressure onto the club by using the platform afforded to them by the media. They won the media war. Everyone knows they want to remain at Anfield and they’ve all made it clear that the final decision lies with the club.

With talks now at an impasse, per Paul Joyce, this gives the impression that Liverpool aren’t prepared to do whatever it takes to keep their three star players at the club.

There’s no other way to dress this up, is there?

Richard Hughes changes the narrative

The only way for the Reds to come away from this situation looking weak is to retain Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk. And even then, given everything going on, that would be the bare minimum.

It appears Richard Hughes is now looking to change the narrative and refocus the attention elsewhere.

Recent reports have made it abundantly clear that the new sporting director inherited the current situation and that he’s not responsible for the mess at Anfield. Having seemingly tried and failed to come to an agreement with any of the three players, he’s now moved on to lower-hanging fruit.

Quansah renewal the bare minimum

The Reds are in talks with Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah has already extended his deal with the club while there was talk a few weeks back that Luis Diaz was also next in line for a renewal.

Quansah was due a new deal, as are Konate and Diaz.

So, again, this very much feels like a bare minimum approach. Diaz, courted by Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, is still on the contract he signed when he moved from Porto. He’s likely one of the lowest-paid players in the squad. Even if he wasn’t in the form of his Liverpool career, he’s due a renewal if only to protect his value.

Konate a pressing matter

Konate is more of a pressing matter. His deal expires in 2026 and he’s reportedly liked by PSG. He, like Diaz, has been one of the better performers for the Reds this term and it makes sense to tie him down to a long-term deal ASAP.

Quansah lost his place in the starting XI following a difficult first half against Ipswich Town but he’s still very much a key part of this squad. Liverpool refused to include him in a deal with Newcastle United in the summer that would’ve brought Anthony Gordon to Anfield.

The young centre-back only signed a four-year deal with the club in 2023 but his performances have seen him climb the pecking order. Liverpool were eager to tie him down for longer, and rightly so.

Richard Hughes needs a win

Hughes needs a win, both internally and externally.

If he’s able to sort new contracts out for Konate and Diaz after his success with Quansah, it would be a much needed boost for him and his reputation.

It also backs up the idea that he can’t be held responsible if Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold do leave. He inherited that mess. It can be positioned that he proactively tied Konate, Quansah and Diaz down to new deals and he’ll work his way through the squad as normal from there, as a sporting director should.

It can also be viewed as a bit of a power play.

Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah are no longer going to dominate their business plans. The club have moved on to other players and they’ll continue as normal, with or without the influential trio. They haven’t admitted defeat but they’re now looking to play it a little cooler.

Will it pay off? We’ll know at the end of the season. Hughes needs a win from somewhere though and he needs it sooner rather than later.