A club legend has warned Trent Alexander-Arnold of the consequences if he decides not to sign a new Liverpool contract – with the clock ticking and Real Madrid still lurking
Trent Alexander-Arnold still hasn’t signed a new Liverpool contract as the season enters its final few months. A club legend has warned him that there will be “disappointment” if he rejects a new deal.
Staying at Anfield looks like it should be a simple choice for Alexander-Arnold, with Arne Slot building on the work of Jurgen Klopp to make Liverpool one of Europe’s leading sides once again. The Academy graduate is also in line to be captain of his boyhood club one day, as the current deputy to Virgil van Dijk.
Unfortunately, the 26-year-old does not appear to see things in the same way. He is yet to find any common ground with Liverpool, amid persistent interest from Real Madrid.
Of the three out-of-contract stars — he, Van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah — it is Alexander-Arnold who appears least likely to extend his stay at the club. There is a feeling that on paper, this should have been the most simple renewal, and its continued delay can only mean one thing
This is just a case of trying to read between the lines, but there is precious little else to go on, with the full-back not addressing the situation publicly at all. Whether this is a mark of respect or else merely adding to the circus depends on who you talk to, but it’s clearly far from ideal for Slot as he looks to focus minds on a potential treble.
One school of thought says there would be a begrudging respect for Alexander-Arnold if he came forward now and admitted his head had been turned. But there’s no avoiding the fact that there would be a backlash if he chose to swap Liverpool for Real Madrid
Club legend Robbie Fowler has warned him of that. While the former striker believes supporters would ultimately accept his decision, he knows there would be some discontent
Everyone will respect Trent Alexander-Arnold for what he has achieved at Liverpool and there will be a real disappointment if he does leave,” said Fowler. “That’s just human nature with him being a Liverpool lad.
“But from a professional point of view you can see that he has already won everything at Liverpool and you’d understand if he wanted to do it elsewhere. I understand it from a footballer’s point of view.
“It’s difficult because you want him to stay but you could understand it. I think the overriding emotion for the majority of Liverpool fans would be major disappointment.”
The desire for a new challenge would make a degree of sense. After all, the only way Alexander-Arnold can win a new trophy now is by swapping leagues, having won every major honor in England
But for a player who has always spoken about his love for the club, and how he is living his dream, a departure at the end of this season would still feel like an abrupt ending. If that his choice, then Liverpool will carry on without him, but “disappointing” just about sums it up