Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave Liverpool for Real Madrid this summer. The future of the 26-year-old has long been the subject of speculation, with his contract at Anfield expiring this summer.
The defender first joined his boyhood club at the age of five and was handed a first senior contract some 12 years later. However, having been in discussions with Real Madrid since January, he’s now reportedly agreed terms with the La Liga giants. The transfer will go through in July when his deal with the Reds ends.
According to talkSPORT, Alexander-Arnold has agreed to a five-year contract with the Spanish club, worth in excess of £220,000 per week. That amounts to £11.5million per year, a significant upgrade on his current wages on Merseyside.
He’s made 349 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool, scoring 22 goals. His total of 64 assists in the Premier League is a record for a defensive player but he won’t have much opportunity to add to them before he leaves as he is currently injured.
The England international has also been instrumental in the club winning every major domestic trophy available, as well as the Champions League, European Super Cup, and FIFA World Club Cup. He’s now likely to leave Merseyside with a second Premier League winners’ medal, with Arne Slot’s men currently 12 points clear at the top of the table.
However, his decision to leave has already sparked a backlash from fans angry at losing a homegrown player. Liverpool reportedly had the opportunity to take a £20million fee for him from Real in January, but opted instead to keep the player until the end of the campaign in a bid to persuade him to stay.
Alexander-Arnold missed this month’s League Cup final defeat to Newcastle, having limped out of the Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain five days earlier. His imminent departure will now pile pressure on FSG and Slot to finalise the future of both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Like Alexander-Arnold, both players are out of contract this summer. Salah has long been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, while Van Dijk ignited speculation after being filmed talking to PSG chiefs at Anfield following their European tie.
