VIRGIL VAN DIJK OPENS UP ON TAA'S REDS DEPARTURE

Title won't be overshadowed by player leaving insists defender

- By PAUL GORST

VIRGIL VAN DIJK says Trent Alexander-Arnold's decision to leave Liverpool should not be compared to his or Mohamed Salah's contract extensions and admits the entire squad are devastated to lose their team-mate this summer.

Alexander-Arnold's public confir-mation of his intentions to let his terms expire before moving at the end of June saw him roundly booed on his first appearance at Anfield since the news broke last Monday, with the vice captain singled out for vociferous jeering after he came on as a substitute in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

The hostile reception grew louder when the right-back got his first touches of the ball but Reds captain Van Dijk refused to condemn those who aired their frustrations and while the 33-year-old says everyone is entitled to their own opinion, he conceded the team are disappointed to lose Alexander-Arnold as a free agent.

And Van Dijk, who along with Salah, signed a two-year contract extension last month, says their respective situations should be likened to Alexander-Arnold's, who is now expected to join Real Madrid.

"Everyone has different opinions or different phases of their career so you can't compare our situation - me and Mo in this case - with Trent," Van Dijk said.

"I was very happy to eventually come to an agreement with the club.

"Obviously it's not really a Liverpool thing to go about it the way we did with me and Mo but, like I said when it was announced, I'm happy and proud to extend because for me there is no other place to be at this point.

"Everyone shares different opinions and he feels like he has done it all - and he did it - and he wants to try something different.

"You are speaking about one of the biggest clubs of all in Real Madrid, who he might go to, as I read in the media. The decision is made.