Inside Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract saga as Real Madrid ‘work’ to shut deal

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s time at Liverpool looks to be coming to a close with his contract expiring in the summer and Real Madrid circling for his signature

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s time at Liverpool looks to be coming to a close.

The Liverpudlian has been the pride of the red half of the city ever since he broke into the first team as a youngster. And the full-back has gone on to conquer England and Europe with a plethora of magical moments.

He was their hero – and, in the space of a season, Trent is now public enemy No.1 on the banks of the River Mersey.

Alexander-Arnold had played the entirety of his Liverpool career under Jurgen Klopp – but the German left last summer after admitting he was “tired” with the full-back one of three stars all heading into the final year of their contract.

According to Sky Sports Switzerland, Alexander-Arnold decided he’d be quitting Liverpool in the wake of Klopp’s shock departure.

“We all thought, ‘Is this a joke?’ None of us were expecting it,” Alexander-Arnold told The Athletic. “It started like a normal day. Then the manager called a meeting at 10:30am, which we had never had before, so everyone was like, ‘What’s going on?’

“He said that this had to be his last season, that he needed a break to spend time with his family. I didn’t know what to do… After he left the room, everyone was just sat there thinking, ‘Has that just happened?’… It kind of shook the dressing room for a couple of hours.”

“He came into the changing rooms and told us there was news breaking as he was speaking. So we found out as players at the same time as everyone else but he told us personally.”

“I’ve been a big part [of Klopp’s reign] and felt a big part of it. The manager’s made me feel a big part of it,” an emotional Alexander-Arnold told ViaPlay after Klopp’s final game in charge.

“I’ve developed as a man, as a player, under his guidance. None of this is possible without him. There’s not much you can say for a person who’s made everything come true for you. He’s changed my life, and everyone around me, my whole family. This was all possible through him.

“I can never say thank you enough for that. He made my dreams come true. Ask my family, ask anyone. I’m not [an] emotional [person]. I can’t remember the last time I cried!

“Honestly, I haven’t cried in years. So this is very strange for me. It just shows how much he means to me and the club.”

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk played it cool when asked about their futures towards the start of the season – while Trent admitted he had already won everything.

There had been links to Real Madrid for some time, it has been the worst-kept secret in football – with the official announcement seeming to be when rather than if.

Madrid had come in for Alexander-Arnold in January, but it was swiftly rebuffed. Recent reports suggest that the deal is now all but done.

talkSPORT claim the Reds’ vice-captain will quit Anfield after agreeing personal terms over a five-year deal worth more than £220,000-per-week. And Madrid see him as the ideal replacement for vice-captain Dani Carvajal.