Trent Alexander-Arnold craves new challenge — one thing Liverpool can’t give

Instead, aged 26, he simply wants to try something totally new and fresh. That is the one thing Liverpool could not offer.

In his family’s executive box at Anfield, there is a chart on the wall that chronicles Alexander-Arnold’s progress while also providing a nod and a wink to his shirt number.

Under the heading “Route 66” it shows milestones ranging from his first session at the club’s academy to captaining the Under-16s, his debut, a first goal through to being nominated for the Ballon d’Or. There are 38 landmarks in total and that only takes him through to December 2020. That is part of the issue.

By the age of 23 years and 219 days, Alexander-Arnold had done it all with Liverpool. Champions League, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup, Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup. The youngest player at an English club ever to complete that set.

Alexander-Arnold became the youngest player to start two consecutive Champions League finals, and was pivotal in Liverpool’s triumph in 2019

RICHARD PELHAM/news GROUP NEWSPAPERS LTD

Of course, you can try and do it all over again. Multiple times.

Slot has challenged him since succeeding Jürgen Klopp, trying to make him better defensively and refining his role. He has ensured the managerial transition has been successful and there would be goals to achieve next term. But, in the player’s mind, it would essentially be about conquering what has come to feel familiar. The hamster wheel of Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham and visits to Turf Moor, Elland Road and Villa Park.

Ultimately, Alexander-Arnold craves another stimulus. Walking into a different dressing room and, as the new boy, having to prove himself again to a set of team-mates and coaches. New country, new culture and, importantly, a new motivation. Forget about the friendship with his England team-mate Jude Bellingham being a deciding factor.

The safe option would have been to sign another deal at Liverpool (although an unmotivated player on a long deal would have become a problem), and there was a time when Alexander-Arnold did not envisage anything else.

The 2022-23 campaign had proved a difficult one for him although, by the end of it, he felt revitalised by the hybrid role Klopp had asked him to perform when shifting from right back into midfield and conducting the play.

Klopp named Alexander-Arnold as vice-captain in summer 2023

PETER BYRNE/PA

All of Liverpool’s previous contract dealings with Alexander-Arnold indicated they would have come to the negotiating table that summer when he had two years left and the background noise about Real Madrid’s interest was already audible.

Perhaps they wanted to see whether his form could be maintained but, initially at least, there was not the same intent from the club.

A delay can also be explained by the fact it coincided with a period of unprecedented flux behind the scenes.

Julian Ward stood down just a year after succeeding Michael Edwards as sporting director, the president of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Mike Gordon, had retreated into the background, and soon into the new campaign Klopp doubted whether he had the appetite to continue. Klopp privately informed Gordon in November 2023 he would be leaving at the end of that season, and appointing a new hierarchy became the priority.

The appointment of Richard Hughes as sporting director accelerated discussions. Prior to officially starting in the role, his very first call was to Alexander-Arnold’s representatives in April 2024 and a formal offer was presented that month after Slot’s appointment.

Hughes inherited what one colleague described as a “sh*t sandwich”, but is understood to have handled the situation impressively. There has been no animosity at the prospect of a valuable asset leaving for nothing.

If the argument can be made that Liverpool were slow to talk terms then, equally, there has been a sense in recent months that whatever was presented would not have been enough to entice the player to stay.

Alexander-Arnold revelled in the celebrations at Anfield last weekend

ADAM VAUGHAN

Talks effectively stopped around March and during that month’s international break, Alexander-Arnold spoke to Slot face to face, explaining the decision to go was not because he did not believe in the Dutchman or the future under him, but simply a personal preference. Slot has been supportive and there is understanding, too, from team-mates in the dressing room.

At the same time, Alexander-Arnold’s brother, Tyler, who represents him, spoke to Hughes in Dubai, where they were both on holiday.

Some Liverpool supporters will be angry and disappointed at the news and it would be odd if they were not given they are losing someone who has left an indelible imprint on the club’s history. They might perceive him as damaging his legacy by moving to a rival given the clashes with Real in the Champions League over recent years.

However, if the belief that the club is bigger than any individual rings true, then the reaction to developments now can reflect that. After all, last summer the clamour was for Martín Zubimendi to leave his boyhood club Real Sociedad and move to Merseyside.

Angst is fuelled by how good Alexander-Arnold is, rather than where he is from, but there is no doubt the bar for those who have progressed through the academy has been set high by Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

Carragher turned down the offer of a new contract at Liverpool as he didn’t want to outstay his welcome. Gerrard, meanwhile, backed out of transfers, most notably to Chelsea, but also rejected overtures from Real, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, because he was driven by a desire to win the league.

Alexander-Arnold has made 352 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 23 goals and providing 92 assists in all competitions

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER BRADLEY ORMESHER

Then, after a 27-year Anfield association, Gerrard was informed by the club’s former CEO, Ian Ayre, that he had 15 minutes to discuss a potential new deal. The captain knew there and then his time had come to an end. Rejecting all those clubs did not buy him loyalty back.

There is no guarantee that Alexander-Arnold will succeed at Real, whose season has been undermined by defensive injuries, although the size of his talent gives him a better chance than most to do so. Equally, there are no cast-iron assurances at what the coming years would look like at Liverpool.

There has been criticism of Alexander-Arnold for not speaking publicly sooner about his intentions. For a period, he simply avoided making a decision, the matter weighing heavy on him, but he has not been disruptive.

He has clarified his plans now, rather than waiting until after the title parade on May 26, for example, as he does not want to be viewed as a coward who sneaked out the back door. Over the next three games, he will have to face the fans and deal with the consequences.

Barring the 2-2 draw with Manchester United in January, which came on the back of Real formally contacting Liverpool at the end of December and before they could officially speak to the player, he should not be accused of losing focus.

Alexander-Arnold had been in Venice on a short break, apparently unaware that news was about to break on New Year’s Eve, and returned to find the uproar overwhelming. He suffered against United, the game becoming a blur, and he was harangued by some fans. Hughes actually checked on his wellbeing in the aftermath.

Alexander-Arnold had a difficult day when Liverpool played Manchester United at Anfield in January

CARL RECINE/GETTY IMAGES

Yet Alexander-Arnold would argue his commitment has been shown by the injections he had to manage injuries and he has pushed himself to return from hamstring, quad and ankle issues.

The fact that he will leave for nothing has become another stick with which to beat him, but there is a counterpoint to that.

July 1, 2015, remains a landmark date for Liverpool.

It was the last time they signed a right back for the first team — Nathaniel Clyne arriving in a £12.5million deal in the days when Southampton seemed to provide half of the Anfield squad.

Since then, due to the promise of excellence upon which Alexander-Arnold duly delivered, there has been nothing. A £4.2million deal for an 18-year-old from Aberdeen, Calvin Ramsay, three years ago. He has spent this season on loan at Wigan Athletic and Kilmarnock with little impact.

In the past ten years, Manchester City have spent £105million on right backs, Kyle Walker and João Cancelo, recouping £21million from Cancelo’s departure. Of late, they have been using a £53million midfielder in Matheus Nunes there.

Meditster Unity? Aaron Wan-Viska, Matite Darmian and Diogo Diogo and Dalot and £81million.

And so, when a corner needs to be taken quickly, as it did on the night of that epic Champions League semi-final comeback against Barcelona, Liverpool will have to look elsewhere.

Alexander-Arnold’s quickly taken corner against Barcelona has gone down in Anfield folklore

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER BRADLEY ORMESHER

Will it simply be Conor Bradley, whom Alexander-Arnold rates highly, with Joe Gomez as cover? Or could they go into the marketplace to strengthen?

The most important aspect of this whole affair is, and always has been, what happens now. In the corridors of power they believe no one is irreplaceable and that would have applied to Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah had a resolution not been found over their contracts, which were recently extended.

In the case of Alexander-Arnold, they are about to find out.