Trent Alexander-Arnold has a big decision coming but Liverpool already made it easier for him

As the youngest of the out of contract in 2025 trio at Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold is the most important to tie down to an extension. In truth, the Reds shouldn't have taken the risk of leaving it this late in the day .

Losing Alexander-Arnold for nothing, a player who would easily command a transfer fee north of $100m if he had longer left on his deal, would be a big loss. It would also leave Liverpool requiring a replacement for a generational full-back who would not bring in any funds to reinvest if he left as a free agent.

While there is still time to come to an agreement, it seems likely that the changes behind the scenes have led to the delay. Alexander-Arnold found out when everyone else did that Jurgen Klopp would be leaving, and it would have been difficult to negotiate an extension before a replacement was sourced.

At the same time as Klopp going, there was also a new sporting director implemented in Richard Hughes and the return of Michael Edwards, who now works for FSG. There was plenty else to get in order behind the scenes first.

After Arne Slot was identified as the Reds' new head coach, it would then have been fair to think that Alexander-Arnold would want to work with him for a period before making up his mind on whether or not he was the right fit. So far, the evidence would suggest that he is .

Alexander-Arnold has bought into the ideas of his new boss and the whole of the Liverpool roster has been impressed by what Slot has brought to the table since he came in. While no one wanted Klopp to leave, having a fresh voice to listen to each day in training does have its benefits — and so far, Slot has been impressive.

Even though the appeal of Real Madrid — a team that has Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe and wins the Champions League every other year — is obvious, the chance to further build on his legacy at Liverpool should hold a strong pull too. It does, ultimately, seem like a straight choice between those two options.

But by making a strong start to life under Slot, Alexander-Arnold's decision should be easier. It remains the case that he wants to captain Liverpool and on a sporting level, the Reds still appear to be able to match his ambitions too.

That question, which Alexander-Arnold will understandably have been asking himself, has seemingly been answered. Does he have to leave to ensure that his career pans out as he wishes? Absolutely not.

Asked by ITV Sport this week what the best thing is about soccer, Alexander-Arnold had a one-word answer. "Winning," he said. There is no reason that he can't continue to achieve that — and his other big aim of leaving behind a legacy of redefining his position — if he spends what should be the peak years of his career at Liverpool .