Trent Alexander-Arnold was audibly booed as he emerged as a second-half substitute for Liverpool against Arsenal at Anfield. The right-back came on after around 65 minutes, replacing Conor Bradley, and boos rang out around the stadium as he entered the field.
Chants of “there’s only one Conor Bradley” as well as a chant about former skipper Steven Gerrard, who famously stayed at Liverpool throughout his top-level career, also greeted Alexander-Arnold’s introduction.
“That is not pleasant for him,” Gary Neville said on Sky Sports co-commentary. “I wasn’t expecting Alexander-Arnold to be booed as much as he has.”
Alexander-Arnold’s expression remained unchanged as he entered the field, but he also experienced boos from some supporters every time he touched the ball after coming on.
The 26-year-old communicated his decision to leave Liverpool earlier this year, informing Arne Slot of his desire to experience a new challenge. That decision was announced to the public last week, prompting an angry reaction from many Liverpool supporters.
The main bone of contention that supporters have with Alexander-Arnold leaving the club is that he is doing so for free, having allowed his contract to run down. That means that the club will not receive a fee for a player who has market value of $85 million.
Alexander-Arnold was asked whether he had a message for Liverpool’s fans as he spoke to club media as his impending departure was announced on Monday. “There’s a lot I would like to say,” he said. “The main thing is a massive thank you. You guys have been there from the start with me, you guys have supported me, been there. I’ve felt the support, the love, everything that you guys have done has never been unnoticed by me, I’ve loved every single minute of it.
“I hope they have felt that has been reciprocated and that I’ve given everything I could to the club. I’ve done things I never thought I’d be able to do, and to do them with the fans and supporters of this club has been something I’ll never forget. I’ve got many, many memories that will live with me forever.
“There’s no doubt about it, I’ll be back – I’d love one day to be able to bring my kids to Anfield and show them that that’s where I’ve played and show them the videos and highlights of what we were able to achieve together. So just a huge thank you for that, thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me.
“Thank you for the support, thank you for the love that I’ve always felt, thank you for always having my back. I will always love the club, I will always love the people of the club, I will always love the fans and the supporters. Even though I’m leaving as player, as a fan — I’ll always be a Liverpool fan.”
