There remains no breakthrough in contract talks between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool.

But as we start to get close to Jingle Bells time, nerves continue to jangle over the future of the Reds right-back.

Maybe even more than they are for Mo Salah or Virgil van Dijk.

So when a billboard allegedly in Madrid appears on social media with Alexander-Arnold on it, there is panic among fans in the online world.

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Then when the Liverpool calendar for next year is leaked online, there’s discussion about the placement of Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk as the pictures for the early months of the year.

As if the club is sending messages about their players' futures through merchandise.

We usually call the transfer window “silly season” but welcome to Liverpool’s contract talks version.

The advertisement in Madrid was coincidental as Alexander-Arnold posed alongside model Iris Law for a Guess campaign he signed up for months ago.

His future beyond the end of June remains in doubt after all.

There is growing unease among supporters because January nears and that allows players like Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk to speak to foreign clubs.

But their representatives wouldn’t be doing their jobs properly if they didn’t already know what is on offer elsewhere if they decide not to renew with the Reds.

In truth, January only opens the door to pen being put-to-paper on pre-contract agreements but all three are expected to keep dialogue open with Liverpool even if talks go into the 2025.

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Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah are all in the final year of their contracts.