Liverpool: Jamie Carragher responds to cryptic Mohamed Salah social media post with Virgil van Dijk claim | OneFootball

Three Liverpool stars will be out of contract in the summer as it stands

Jamie Carragher has urged Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold to “take a leaf out of” Virgil van Dijk’s book amid ongoing uncertainty over the trio’s future at Liverpool.

Alexander-Arnold has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid and reports last week suggested Liverpool had rejected a bid from the Spanish giants to sign the right-back this month.

Salah, meanwhile, has repeatedly and publicly voiced his frustration at the lack of progress in contract talks with the club, suggesting he is happy at Liverpool but currently has no choice but to view this as his last season.

The Egyptian took to social media on Monday to post a picture of himself alongside Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk, in what has been viewed as another cryptic statement on the contract saga.

Carragher has previously labelled Salah “selfish” for speaking in public about his contract situation, and he believes the example set by Liverpool captain Van Dijk is one that should be followed.

“Oh I don’t know,” Carragher said when asked what he made of Salah’s post.

“I would say Virgil van Dijk has come out of this whole situation, as the captain of the club, in a higher esteem for me. The way he’s conducted himself, his performances on the pitch, the way he’s led the team. He hasn’t got involved in too much around this.

“Rather than speak about Trent Alexander-Arnold or Mo Salah, I’d probably like to pay tribute to Virgil van Dijk. He’s come across as a real statesman the way he’s handled it. He’s been asked questions, he’s knocked it away. He’s here to win the league, he wants to do his utmost for Liverpool. Fingers crossed he signs.

“The other two could maybe look at Virgil van Dijk and take a leaf out of his book.”

Alexander-Arnold’s situation came under increased scrutiny on Sunday as he suffered a torrid afternoon against Manchester United.

The right-back struggled on the ball and was caught out defensively on several occasions, with it inevitably raising questions over whether Real’s interest is proving a distraction for him.

On the possibility of Alexander-Arnold leaving this month, Carragher added: “No, I don’t see that - no matter what the figure was from Real Madrid.

“I really believe that. The most important thing is Liverpool win the league and I think if Liverpool were to lose Trent Alexander-Arnold right now, that would give them a major problem in terms of winning the Premier League title.

“He had a really poor game yesterday, we know that, but in the main he’s been an absolute superstar for Liverpool.”