‘Gutted’ Van Dijk sends Alexander-Arnold message over Liverpool boos as transfer demand is made

Virgil van Dijk has sent Trent Alexander-Arnold a loaded message over the jeers he was subjected to at Anfield on Sunday, while the Liverpool captain has set FSG something of a transfer challenge in the wake of the right-back’s imminent departure to Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old has confirmed he will be leaving Anfield at the end of his contract this summer, bringing to an end his 20-year association with his boyhood club. And while Alexander-Arnold has stopped short of naming his next club, a move to Real Madrid will be confirmed in due course and once Liverpool’s domestic campaign has officially come to an end with a Premier League title lift at Anfield on the final day of the season.

While Alexander-Arnold’s exit has been given support by Slot and his Liverpool teammates, it is evidently clear that not all on the Anfield terraces are entirely enamoured by the player’s decision to leave as a free agent.

And with a chorus of boos greeting the player’s introduction off the bench during Sunday’s 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal, the reaction to his exit has certainly split opinion in the media.

Now Reds captain Van Dijk has had his say on the matter, telling BBC Sport: “We want to win two more games and after the final whistle, including him [Alexander-Arnold], lift the trophy up and celebrate like we have never done before.”

Asked if Alexander-Arnold’s exit dampens the occasion, he added: “I don’t think so. It shouldn’t. There’s a lot more players that also deserve an amazing day.”

Reflecting on the boos directed at his teammate, the 33-year-old added: “The [crowd] reaction happened. He has to deal with it. We as a team have to deal with that as well.

“I wasn’t really expecting something, to be honest, but I think maybe he expected this. It’s not easy, not at all. We’re here for him anyway.

“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 seen over the last seven years.”

However, in a challenge to Liverpool owners FSG, Van Dijk has urged the club to spend money on reinforcements this summer and help ensure the Premier League title is just the beginning of their success story…

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Van Dijk calls for big summer of spending at Liverpool

Speaking to the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele, Van Dijk said of the summer window: “It has to be a big summer and I trust the club and the people who make the decisions to do the right thing.

“As champions, it is a very difficult task to remain champions, but I feel with additions we can make that step up.

“It’s something to look forward to, it’s very exciting and it’s an exciting time to be associated with Liverpool.”

And when asked why he was determined to stay, having recently signed a new deal, he added: “For me there is no other place to be at this point.”

Van Dijk isn’t the only Liverpool player to comment on the boos that Alexander-Arnold has been subjected to, with Andy Robertson also offering a defence of the player’s Anfield legacy, though with the Scot stopping short of telling supporters how to react.

“There is a lot of emotion around it, and I think it’s crucial in these moments that I don’t tell you how to feel and you don’t tell me how to feel about it,” Robertson told the media after Sunday’s draw.

“I’m disappointed to lose my best mate in the game. We’ve done it all together. He’s an amazing player, an amazing person, and, yeah, he’s made me a better player, and that’s from the bottom of my heart. He’s taken me to levels I never knew existed.

“He kept pushing me through the good years, and he’s made a choice. I think his legacy at the club is there for everyone to see. The trophies he’s won, the moments he’s had in history, will always be there.

“It is, of course, an emotional decision and it’s not been an easy one. He’s made the decision, and it’s not nice to see a friend get booed, but as I said, we can’t tell people how to act.

“I can tell you how I feel about it, I’m extremely proud of what he’s done for the club. I love him as a friend and player, and he will be missed for me as one of my best friends in the game.”

Liverpool transfer latest: Frimpong deal close; late raid for Wolves star?

Meanwhile, Liverpool are hurtling towards the signing of Alexander-Arnold’s replacement at Anfield amid growing reports that a deal to bring Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield is gathering pace.

After confirmation on Monday night from Florian Plettenberg over a potential deal, our man Rudy Galetti has now provided more insight into the transfer and charts how Liverpool’s move for the Bayer Leverkusen man can be dated back to February, having also revealed all on the terms on offer at Anfield.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are still strongly considering a move for Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer and could pull a late transfer surprise out of the bag after a journalist cast doubts over a deal for Milos Kerkez.

Reports in Spain claim Liverpool have scheduled face-to-face talks over the potential signing of Real Madrid star Rodrygo – and Xabi Alonso could reportedly help his former side seal a blockbuster deal.

And finally, a 51-cap international star is pushing to leave Anfield this summer, with one journalist claiming he would be “amazed” if the player were still at the club next season and with a number of clubs already having expressed an interest in his services.

ALEXANDER-ARNOLD QUIZ: How much do you know about departing Liverpool star?