Barnes urges LFC fans to not be ‘critical of the club’ if one things happens

John Barnes has urged Liverpool fans not to be ‘critical of the club’ if Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk leave Merseyside next summer.

The important trio are all out of contract at the end of the season and there’s yet to be signs of any progress being made over extensions.

With Salah and van Dijk now the wrong side of 30 the club may potentially be somewhat cautious to offer them a bumper new contract but with Alexander-Arnold entering his prime years an agreement over fresh terms needs to be reached sooner rather than later.

Barnes believes there’s only so much the Reds hierarchy can do, with the decision to leave or remain ultimately down to the players themselves.

“I would urge fans not to have a go at the club and say: ‘Oh, they are lacking ambition by not keeping them,’” the ex-Red said on talkSPORT (via Rousing The Kop) when explaining how fans should respond if the trio are to leave Anfield in the summer.

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“Because if they are going to go, they will go. There’s not a lot that the club can do. They will offer them their best contracts, which they will do, and if they choose not to sign it, don’t be critical of the club.”

Our No.66 is free to speak to foreign clubs from January and losing the Academy graduate would be a huge blow to Arne Slot’s long-term plans at Anfield.

Real Madrid have been rumoured to be showing interest in our vice captain but it remains to be seen what will happen.

Salah and van Dijk are again proving this season that they can still perform consistently well on the biggest of stages so it would be silly to let them leave for free at the end of the season.

All three players are vital figures both on and off the pitch so let’s hope fresh deals can be agreed soon.