‘He’d be worshipped at Real’ – should Alexander-Arnold leave Liverpool?

What next for Trent Alexander-Arnold?

The conversation has been going on all season, and now that the Liverpool right-back has been granted permission to speak with foreign clubs, the noise will only get louder.

The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid after his contract expires, as most football fans will probably already be aware of.

Despite numerous newspaper headlines, the silence surrounding his future with both his clubs and the player himself is still audible.

Gary Lineker, a former England international who left Everton for Barcelona in 1986, stated in a statement to the Rest is Football podcast that he could understand it if Alexander-Arnold made the decision to leave.

He said: “Trent would love it there. They will respect him and appreciate his incredible passing power.

Like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold is into the final six months of his contract at Liverpool.

But while Salah and Van Dijk have provided snippets of information about contract talks, Alexander-Arnold has been tight-lipped.

He stated in September that no public discussions would be held regarding a new deal, but he has since been linked to other initiatives.

Sources recently said there had been an approach – but no offer – from Real Madrid about signing Alexander-Arnold in January, which Liverpool rebuffed.

Alexander-Arnold has given years of service to Liverpool, helping them win the Premier League and Champions League.

However, a move to Real Madrid would make sense with the full-back at the height of his career.

“He is really close with Jude Bellingham, as we saw in the summer”, added Lineker.

“He is a wonderful footballer, he would fit in beautifully and would be a massive success. They wouldn’t focus on his defending – which we overly do here.

“I moved to Spain, and playing for Real or Barca is truly special. The world’s greatest players continue to compete with Barca and Real Madrid, regardless of how powerful and wealthy the Premier League is.

Alan Shearer, a former England and Newcastle striker, said, “He has won everything at Liverpool.”

You can’t blame Trent for making an absolute fortune after achieving everything at Liverpool and being asked to play for Real Madrid.

Given that Alexander-Arnold has spent time with Liverpool since he was six, he and the Reds would both appreciate his decision to leave.

He became a regular starter for the first team in 2016-17, winning more than 40 games each year, and has since become a mainstay.

Only Mohamed Salah (1, 586) and Ryan Gravenberch (1, 560) have played more minutes than Alexander-Arnold (1, 317) this season, underlining how important he is to Slot.

His reliability in defense and his contribution to their attack would be missed by the Reds.

Phil McNulty, the head of football for BBC Sport:

Alexander-Arnold is a world-class player, a creator and defender in equal measure, so it would be folly to suggest he would not be missed by Liverpool.

If he wants a fresh challenge, it is clear Real Madrid would welcome him. It is now up to Alexander-Arnold to decide if he wants to take that challenge.

The good news for Liverpool is that Conor Bradley, a remarkable Northern Irish 21-year-old, has all the qualities of a formidable long-term Anfield star.

Ironically, it was against Real Madrid – with Alexander-Arnold watching from the bench – that Bradley delivered a magnificent display hinting at his quality in Liverpool’s 2-0 Champions League win over Carlo Ancelotti’s side at Anfield in November.

Bradley brought Anfield to its feet, literally, with a shuddering first-half challenge on Kylian Mbappe as he closed in at The Kop end. Mbappe was left in a vile heap as a result. It was fearless, perfectly legal, perfectly timed and demonstrated huge belief and confidence.

Russ: If Trent wants to change the scene, he has been there for 20 years and has won everything. He needs to realize that Madrid fans will never be as fond of him as they are at Anfield. Regardless of which club he plays for, he will never be able to take the captaincy of the team he claims to love and will never be awarded the Ballon d’Or. He has damaged his legacy like Owen and McManaman, and he will always be welcomed back to Anfield, but not with open arms.

Fraser: I’m worried about the worst because Trent has been quiet the entire time and Salah and Virgil have made it clear they want to stay (and I’m fairly certain both will). I find it most irksome that he attempts to leave on a free and that Liverpool receives nothing in return. I hope this doesn’t sabotage or derail our campaign because it’s so disappointing and also quite selfish from Trent. Good thing Conor Bradley is near to returning.

Tommy: Out of the three players, he is the one we can afford to lose. He frequently falls short of the enormous hype surrounding him because of his extravagant playing. We have a ready-made replacement, so he can go. It is now becoming boring. He, like Owen, will be warming the bench at Madrid.