Robbie Fowler is hopeful Trent Alexander-Arnold will remain at Liverpool this summer.
However, the Reds legend admits he would not blame the full-back if he leaves the club for Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold is yet to sign a new deal at Anfield with his current contract expiring in the summer.
Real Madrid have been strongly linked with signing the 26-year-old on a free transfer and submitted a bid to sign him in January, which was subsequently rebuffed.
The England international has been free to sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs from overseas since January.
As a result, reports previously suggested he had agreed a deal with the Spanish giants.
With a potential exit yet to be officially confirmed, though, Fowler hopes Alexander-Arnold will instead extend his stay at Liverpool.
Asked about the chances of the defender turning down Real Madrid, he told talkSPORT: “It’s tough isn’t it because obviously as much as we love Liverpool and you’ve got that little bit of bias because we’re Liverpool lads and we think everyone should be at Liverpool and staying there.
“But obviously with Trent, you know he’s going to get linked with all these great clubs because he’s a great player. In fact, he’s a brilliant player so why wouldn’t he be getting linked?
“I’m a Liverpool lad, I want him to stay, I want him to win everything with Liverpool but if he was to go I genuinely wouldn’t have any complaints because he’s given everything to Liverpool.
“I can see if he does go, his conversation with everyone, ‘I just want a new challenge’ and I’ve honestly got no qualms with that at all.
“It would disappoint me and it would disappoint every single Liverpool fan but I think deep down they’d appreciate what he’s done for Liverpool.
“But look, he’s not gone yet so there’s a little bit of a glimmer of hope there that he could stay and as much as Real Madrid will be calling for him as a player, he’s still a Liverpool player.”
Alexander-Arnold has been at Liverpool for 20 years, having first joined the club’s academy in 2004 aged six.
He has gone on to make a total of 349 appearances for the Reds since breaking into the first-team under Jurgen Klopp.
In those matches, Alexander-Arnold has scored 22 goals and added 87 assists from right-back.
Meanwhile, he has also won eight trophies including the Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League.
However, he missed Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle through injury.
Alexander-Arnold was forced off against Paris Saint-Germain last week with an ankle injury, with his return date currently unknown.
Arne Slot does expect him to be back before the end of the season to aid his side’s push for the title, though.
