Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool contract saga has benefited nobody

It finally looks like the Trent Alexander-Arnold contract saga is reaching a conclusion — and clarity may be best for all involved.

There remains no official announcement nor agreement reached, but the news that Real Madrid are working on a deal means every sign points to the right-back running out in a white shirt in Spain next season, rather than a red one on Merseyside.

Arguably, this has been the worst-kept secret in football. Alexander-Arnold took a stance at the start of the campaign that he did not want the debate around his future to play out in public but the noise, largely from Spain, has been unrelenting.

Madrid’s enquiry ahead of the January transfer window only fuelled speculation and while the futures of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have also been hanging over Anfield this term, neither has been linked anywhere near as strongly with a move to a particular club.

With the end of the season in sight, and Liverpool now solely focused on winning the Premier League title, this feels like the right time for Alexander-Arnold, 26, to address the situation so Liverpool supporters can process it and move on.

It certainly feels like the saga has benefited nobody: not Liverpool, who have had uncertainty shrouding the future of one of their crown jewels; not the player, who has surely been conscious of the speculation; and not even Madrid, who would have wanted him to join in January given the injury to right-back Dani Carvajal.

Until now, the silence may have been partly explained by a desire to avoid any supporter backlash. The anger Alexander-Arnold faced from a section of fans in January, following the 2-2 draw against Manchester United and shortly after Madrid’s enquiry being rebuffed by Liverpool, is something everyone will want to avoid.

Back then, Liverpool were pursuing four trophies and the stakes felt sky-high. That is less true now. Unless Arne Slot’s side collapse in their final nine fixtures, the league title should be a procession: Liverpool are 12 points clear and may have the championship secured by the end of April.

A window for an announcement has also been presented by Alexander-Arnold’s ankle injury, which is likely to rule him out for the next few weeks. Bringing some certainty to his situation before he returns, hopefully before the end of April, feels right.

Some fans will not care about golden goodbyes. They will see his decision to leave his boyhood club as a betrayal, particularly as Liverpool will not even benefit from a transfer fee, which taints his legacy.

Yet more will surely appreciate what he has helped Liverpool achieve — he has played a crucial role in winning every major trophy available to him at club level — and understand that the attraction of Real Madrid is difficult for any player to turn down. La Liga titles will follow and there will be more opportunities to add to his one Champions League winner’s medal. He will also get the chance to play alongside close friend Jude Bellingham.

Alexander-Arnold is good friends with Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham (Harry Murphy / Getty Images)

More blame is likely to be attached to Liverpool not tying him down sooner. Given Alexander-Arnold’s age and profile, there was little downside to giving him a new contract more than two years ago. And while Richard Hughes was only appointed a year ago, did they really need a sporting director to sort that out? Could that have ended Madrid’s interest before it had even started?

Whatever the answers, Liverpool are likely to end up losing not just one of the biggest talents in European football, but also the chance to bank a significant fee. Only a select few people involved at the heart of the discussions will know exactly what was offered to Alexander-Arnold by Liverpool and why no agreement was reached, but fans are entitled to ask questions.

Liverpool will have been preparing for the possibility of Alexander-Arnold departing, given the hole he will leave in the squad ahead of a summer which already promises plenty of upheaval. While they already have a strong option to step up in Conor Bradley, they will need to replace Alexander-Arnold to retain depth at that position.

The issue is that finding a successor for a unique footballer will not be straightforward — or cheap. Alexander-Arnold has revolutionised the full-back position and his vision and passing range have allowed him to be a huge creative presence for Liverpool. Finding someone who can pass the ball vast distances with pinpoint precision, whip in crosses like an elite-level winger, and offer solidity — Alexander-Arnold may not be a great defender, but neither is he as bad as his detractors suggest — feels impossible.

The Carabao Cup final defeat by Newcastle was a recent reminder of how much they would miss him. As others toiled and struggled in possession, they did not have Alexander-Arnold to produce a defence-splitting pass or game-changing switch.

A new right-back may make the right side of Liverpool’s defence more solid, but can they provide a moment of magic to break open a game like their predecessor has been able to do on so many occasions? It begs the question as to whether or not Liverpool should even try and sign a like-for-like replacement, or whether they should look to reappraise what they want from their right-back and the balance of the team.

Either way, a resolution on Alexander-Arnold’s future would at least bring some closure and the chance for fans to focus on the future.

(Top photo: Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images)

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