Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool is something most fans thought would never happen .
As he moves into the final year of his contract though, that nightmare is getting a little too close for comfort. Speculation is growing over the Reds’ vice-captain’s future. Bild now claims Real Madrid has been in contact with Alexander-Arnold this month , and the Anfield academy graduate is said to be interested in the approach.
Whether or not that is the case, it needs to serve as a wake-up call for Liverpool. Arne Slot and Richard Hughes will need to get Alexander-Arnold tied down to a new deal as quickly as possible – in fact, the club shouldn’t have let the situation get this far in the first place.
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The 25-year-old hasn’t said too much about his future in recent months, although he has previously indicated that his future lies at Anfield. Although he has won every major club trophy available already during his playing career, there is still one ambition he wants to achieve at Liverpool.
Back in 2018, Alexander-Arnold made his intentions clear in an interview with The Times . He wants to stay at Anfield for the duration of his career.
“There is nowhere else I’d rather be than Liverpool. Somewhere I want to stay for the rest of my career is Liverpool. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of. Liverpool are special. It’s completely down to the fans. Whether we are winning or losing we always have their love.”
In the same interview, he outlined his ambitions to eventually wear the captain’s armband at Anfield. "I want to become captain one day. That’s definitely a dream of mine. I hope with dedication, the right advice and the hard work that still needs to be put in that one day I might achieve that dream of becoming captain, something that me and my family will be very proud of if it comes."
After signing a new deal back in 2021, Alexander-Arnold doubled down on his captaincy ambitions. Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com , he said: “I think a few years ago it was obviously to establish myself as a regular and push on and kind of be an always-starter, someone that couldn't really be dropped. I think over the last few years I've kind of achieved that.
“Now it's about just winning things, leading the team as well in certain ways, being more of a leader on the pitch, off the pitch for the younger players. Establishing myself in those kind of roles as a leader would be something I've got my eye on.”
And after being handed the vice-captaincy last summer, Alexander-Arnold was already looking toward the future. “I’ve put a lot of hard work in up to this moment to reach these kinds of milestones,” he told the club’s website .
“It is a moment where I have reflected and thought I’m proud of myself and it has made me smile — and it takes a lot to make me smile! I’ve never been shy of saying what my ambitions are and that’s always been to captain this club. This is a pathway and a stepping stone to that.”
Liverpool.com says: It should go without saying that Liverpool will not want to let Alexander-Arnold go to Real Madrid under any circumstances. To let his contract wind down to this point though is a major failure on the club's part.
A new deal has to be the priority for Slot and Hughes now. As much as new signings would be nice this summer, they will feel extremely hollow if Alexander-Arnold were to depart for nothing next year.
An original version of this article was first published on March 22.
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