Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential move to Real Madrid is undoubtedly the hottest topic surrounding English football.
The Liverpool right-back’s possible departure to Carlo Ancelotti’s side has garnered a mix of reactions.
Alan Shearer backed Alexander-Arnold’s potential switch to Real Madrid and felt he was being unjustly criticised.
However, others feel that the fact that Trent Alexander-Arnold is not just leaving his boyhood club but on a free transfer as well is a cardinal sin. Jamie Carragher fears Alexander-Arnold being slated at Real Madrid the minute he lands in Spain, with many Liverpool fans potentially hoping for him to fail if things turn more sour.
Carragher and Paul Scholes, known for their unwavering affiliation towards Liverpool and Manchester United respectively had a chat about Alexander-Arnold possibly heading to Real Madrid.
Paul Scholes says he “can understand” Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid
Scholes was basically a one-club man, playing two games for Royton Town at the end of his career and he is perhaps best-placed to chime in on Alexander-Arnold looking set to move to Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold instantly accepted Real Madrid’s wage demands of not being handed an eye-watering package, which highlights how keen he has been on the move.
Paul Scholes, who was also an academy graduate at Manchester United and one of the best players in the world decided to stay loyal to his boyhood club rather than leave for pastures new.
But even so, Scholes said on The Overlap’s Fan Debate that in his view, Alexander-Arnold could feel that Liverpool will not sustain their dominance alongside Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s uncertain contract situations as reasons to sign for Real Madrid: “I try and imagine it as if it it was one of our players growing up and we were a dominant team. We felt for a long time that we could go on and win leagues and challenge for European Cups, probably didn’t work out as well as we wanted and I don’t think any of us would want to go, I really don’t.”
“I think if you talk about the Manchester United team and somebody came in, then yeah, good luck, you deserve to go. I think Trent’s possibly looking at Liverpool thinking, they’re a really good team, don’t get me wrong, they’re going to win the Premier League.”
Scholes concluded that Alexander-Arnold is fair in his decision to join Real Madrid: “It doesn’t feel like it’s going to be a dominant team though for years to come. You might disagree with that, I don’t know but it doesn’t feel like that at this point. It still feels like there’s some issues at Liverpool, obviously with Trent, with [Virgil] Van Dijk and Mo Salah and you still think there’s a bit of work to do. So, I think that’s the main difference, go to Real Madrid, Real Madrid are going to win the leagues, they are probably going to win European Cups for the next 10 years so I can understand in wanting to do it from that point of view.”
The historic Liverpool contract offer Trent Alexander-Arnold rejected
Paul Scholes’ verdict on Alexander-Arnold’s impending transfer to Real Madrid might certainly split opinion within Liverpool’s fanbase.
Especially considering that Liverpool offered Alexander-Arnold a historic contract to make him the highest-paid English player in the Premier League.
But even so, the West Derby-born defender’s heart was set on a move to the champions of Europe as he snubbed the generous offer.
