Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher says the potential loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold this summer would be disappointing — but the fact he would be moving on with no transfer fee coming is unimportant.
While it is not yet confirmed, Real Madrid is confident of wrapping up a deal that would see Alexander-Arnold become the latest big name player to join Los Blancos for nothing when the season concludes. And the Liverpool number 66 would leave a significant hole in the roster of Arne Slot’s side should he depart.
“It seems like there’s not one thing people are unhappy with — it’s leaving on a free or that he should have come out and told the club earlier,” Carragher said on the Stick To Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet. “People are angry for three or four different things.
“I’m not angry about him going on a free. In an ideal world, Liverpool would get £70 million -£80 million ($90 million-100 million) to reinvest, but you can’t have it both ways as a supporter.
“If Liverpool sign someone on a free in the summer, we’d all be delighted. So does that mean that his former club should absolutely hate him? Also, when you’re a local player you don’t cost anything — Trent going on a free is like Virgil van Dijk leaving for £75 million ($96 million). We’d still break even.”
Alexander-Arnold has won everything at Liverpool and the appeal of Real Madrid is clear: the size of the club, the chance to try something new and experience a new city, the silverware that it competes for, and the warmer climate. But Carragher’s disappointment stems from there being a huge appeal to staying at Anfield too.
“Where I’m at is that, as a local player and a Liverpool fan, Liverpool are in a position where they’re competing for the league and a European Cup every year,” he continued. “So, if you’re a Liverpool fan and a local player, I’m just disappointed that he doesn’t think that this is it.
(Image: Richard Martin-Roberts – CameraSport/CameraSport via Getty Images)
“I’m putting myself in his position, where I’d be thinking that we could go level with Manchester United in league trophies. I’ve got another seven or eight years at Liverpool and want to get three or four ahead of them, with a couple more European Cups.
“We always talk about rivalries and never think of it as European. In some ways, Real Madrid is a rival. No one will catch them — they are the biggest and most famous team — but I’m desperate for Liverpool to get second on that list.
“AC Milan are on seven [European titles]. If I was him, I’d be thinking that we’ve got a great opportunity to win the league this year and could do this and that and at the end of his time, put Liverpool in a position [to beat the others].”
Liverpool.com says: There is no bad option for Alexander-Arnold. What he has to weigh up is whether the Real Madrid option is appealing enough to cancel out the backlash that will come his way. The Scouser’s legacy will be tainted and he will have to work out whether or not he can live with that.
