Trent Alexander-Arnold appears destined to sign for Real Madrid, only a dramatic U-turn would change what seems to be an inevitability, the end to one of football’s worst-kept secrets.
Liverpool is losing its Steven Gerrard heir. The vice-captain. The home town hero. The lad from Liverpool whose dream came true. To make matters worse, it’s losing one of the best right-backs in the world for absolutely no financial gain. Reds fans are understandably furious, with some calling for him to be stripped of the vice-captaincy already – even before the deal is officially confirmed.
Alexander-Arnold may well feel that reaction is harsh, especially considering he’s won literally everything possible at Anfield. He’s a [soon to be two-time] Premier League champion, won the Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and League Cup. With that in mind, is it fair to say he doesn’t owe the club anything?
Alexander-Arnold has every right to play for the biggest team in the world, which few could argue Real Madrid is. It’s almost impossible to argue against Madrid being the most prestigious and illustrious club in the history of the game, and every kid – well, aside from Barcelona fans – will grow up dreaming of playing at the Bernabeu in the famous white jersey.
With that in mind, and considering all he’s won, how can anyone blame Alexander-Arnold? He’s about to play at the biggest club in the world – alongside his best friend; Jude Bellingham. But that shouldn’t mean he can escape Anfield like he has.
I’m not a Liverpool fan, but I can understand the frustration Reds supporters have with the defender. He’s effectively sneaking out of the back door and leaving the club in a difficult spot when it comes to replacing him. Had he left for a transfer fee of any sort, Michael Edwards & co would have had an easier time replacing him and remaining within FFP guidelines.
While it may not be Alexander-Arnold’s fault, the speculation over his future has overshadowed Liverpool’s first Premier League title win in front of fans for over 30 years. For that, you can perhaps lay some of the blame at Fenway Sports Group’s door, considering the contract extension for Alexander-Arnold – along with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk – should have been sorted last summer.
Arne Slot’s mission impossible – replacing Jurgen Klopp – was made even more difficult by the fact he had the dark cloud of the team’s three best players possibly leaving the club for free hanging over him. As it turns out, he’s managed the situation impeccably, never letting it overshadow wins or losses whenever he can.
But regardless, the situation may well arise that Slot will have to replace a key part of a title-winning team in the summer, and that the celebrations of an unprecedented debut-season-title will be overshadowed by Alexander-Arnold leaving.
Could Alexander-Arnold have done that much differently? It’s hard to say. It’s difficult to argue he should have told Madrid to block his number after their first approach, but at the same time, it’s incredibly tough to fathom a Liverpool icon, who loves the club dearly, has given his entire career to it so far, leaving for nothing.
