Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave the Merseyside club at the end of the season, with Real Madrid his next destination.
There have been reports that Trent Alexander-Arnold is on the cusp of joining Real Madrid in a Bosman move in the summer transfer window, and the two parties are now working out the final details of the move.
The 26-year-old has been an exceptional performer for Liverpool since breaking into the first-team scene, and he has helped Liverpool win multiple major trophies during his time at the club. There is no doubt that he is a world-class player and one of the best players in the world in his role. Real Madrid needed a quality long-term replacement for Dani Carvajal, and Alexander-Arnold should prove to be the ideal acquisition.
For Liverpool, his departure will come as a major blow, and it will be interesting to see if they can replace him adequately. They have been linked with players like Oscar Mingueza and Jeremie Frimpong in recent weeks. Both players have done quite well for their respective clubs, and it will be interesting to see if they can adapt to Premier League football if they end up at Liverpool.
Regardless of who comes in to replace the England international and how they perform, Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool for free exposes the stunning incompetence of the Liverpool hierarchy.
Losing a player of his quality for free is simply unacceptable, and Liverpool should have sorted out his contract situation long ago. The fact that they allowed his contract situation to drag on till this season shows how poor the decision-making has been at the club behind the scenes. Liverpool owners have often been criticised for penny-pinching, and it seems that their tendency to solve problems on a bargain has cost them a world-class player.
Alexander-Arnold is one of the best players in the world, and he would have demanded a substantial increase on his current deal to renew. While there is no suggestion that Liverpool refused to agree to his demands, the truth will certainly surface in due course of time.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: An exit that could force tactical change at Liverpool
When the 26-year-old defender leaves Liverpool in the summer, the Reds will not just lose a world-class player. They will also lose a key cog in their system. Alexander-Arnold is more than just a defender, and he has been an auxiliary playmaker for Liverpool over the years. His exit would mean that Liverpool might need to change their system around and bring in a creative midfielder who will support Mohamed Salah from the right.
Also, Liverpool will need to bring in a dynamic full-back who is capable of contributing at both ends of the pitch equally. This could result in Arne Slot breaking up his tried and tested trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai. It will be interesting to see how the Dutch manager shapes up his midfield to cope with the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Can Liverpool keep Salah and Van Dijk?
Trent Alexander-Arnold is not the only player potentially leaving Liverpool for free at the end of the season, and they might lose Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah as well. Both players will be free agents in a few months. Liverpool’s incompetence behind the scenes has probably ripped the spine out of the squad, and the Reds will find it extremely difficult to replace the three players if they move on in the summer.
There have been rumours that van Dijk and Salah are open to staying at the club if the right offer is presented, and it will be interesting to see if Liverpool can fix the mess they are in and tie the two players down to new contracts.
While there is no doubt that clubs need to sign top-class players consistently to fight for major trophies regularly, it is also imperative that they hold on to their best players. Salah, van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold have been instrumental in Liverpool’s success in recent seasons and losing them could be a devastating blow for any club. All three players are world-class in their roles, and they could improve any team in world football.
FSG are answerable to the fans
Losing the three players in the summer would be a crushing blow for Liverpool, and it will certainly fan the fire within the Liverpool fan base. The owners have already failed to showcase their ambitions over the years, and losing three of their best players for free could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
It will be interesting to see how FSG recover from this situation. Liverpool are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and as custodians of this hugely successful club, the owners must rethink their strategies on how to run the club. They are clearly falling short of the ambitions required at such a big club and their latest mistakes will only add to the vitriol against them.
