Local boy done good

People who have never met Trent Alexander-Arnold regard him as a brother and part of the fabric of Liverpool FC

Rob Palmer commentator ESPN

Friday, 28 March 2025, 11:42

Football can turn the most rational and considered people into raging, opinionated fans with blinkered, bittered views. This is the case with the Trent Alexander-Arnold saga.

It’s the worst-kept secret in football that the Liverpool FC star intends to join Real Madrid at the end of his contract in June. In any other business, it would be fully appreciated that a person wants to accept a job promotion with financial perks and an opportunity to see the world.

Football just isn’t any business and emotions are running high. Some are even raging.

‘Trent’, as he’s popularly known, is the epitome of local boy done good. He joined his boyhood club at the age of six and made his debut when he was 18. He’s part of the fabric of Liverpool FC and understandably a hero to all who support the team. People who have never met him regard him as a brother.

The problem is that they see their brother leaving the fold of the family to go live with another family in another land. The extreme view is that he’s a traitor.

It must be a tough personal decision for young Trent. He’s been reporting for duty at his local club for over 20 years. Now he has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join one of the few bigger and more successful organisations in the world of football.

Real Madrid need a right-back. In any other profession, if they posted a job advertisement, he’d be the outstanding candidate. The position would be his.

Football is different though: you need to factor in passion and loyalty. Liverpool fans would never agree that there is any other club to match theirs.

Realistically, Real Madrid is a bigger club. As Alexander-Arnold is out-of-contract there is no transfer fee. They need a right-back to succeed Dani Carvajal, who has been a fine servant but reaching the veteran stage of his career and returning from a serious injury.

From a business point of view, Trent is an upgrade. At the age of 26, he’s approaching his peak years. In Jude Bellingham, he already has an English pal in the changing room. Together they can conquer the world.

In fact, if Real Madrid get their way, he can be a part of a team that wins the new World Club Championship to be held this summer. Technically, he can’t join them until the expiry of his contract on June 30th - but there’s always a deal to be done.

The coach at his parent club has kept a dignified silence, unlike some of the fans. Arne Slot will understand that Alexander-Arnold has a career-defining, nay life-defining, decision to make, just like him last summer. He also has a ready-made replacement in Conor Bradley.

Slot won’t want an unsettled player within his ranks and he will have extra cash to play with a big-wage earner off the books.

Football evolves. I’m sure Trent will be a success in Madrid and think young Bradley may bring a new dimension to the way Liverpool play. Everyone’s a winner!

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