TRENT SET TO CALL TIME ON LIVERPOOL

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential move to Real Madrid appears to be gathering momentum, with reports claiming the Liverpool right-back has agreed personal terms with the European champions.

With his contract set to expire at the end of the season and no breakthrough in renewal talks, speculation has been rife about his departure. The 26-year-old has long expressed ambitions of winning the Ballon d’Or, and a move to Madrid could provide him with the platform to chase that dream.

According to Sky Sports France, the transfer is now ‘settled,’ with Alexander-Arnold and his representatives reaching an agreement on a five-year deal. The report states he will earn around €15m ($16.1m/£12.5m) per year—roughly €4m more than his current Liverpool salary—while also benefiting from attractive performance-related bonuses and a signing-on fee.

The report also suggests Liverpool have made repeated efforts to reopen contract negotiations, but the right-back’s decision is now final. “An agreement in principle was reached in recent weeks and, despite Liverpool’s repeated attempts to reopen negotiations, the hope of extending his contract on the banks of the Mersey has faded. Now, nothing will be able to change the Englishman’s mind,” it states.

If the move goes through, new Liverpool manager Arne Slot will be faced with an immediate dilemma at right-back. The club may enter the market for reinforcements, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong already linked, but some believe the answer could already be within their squad. Conor Bradley has impressed when given opportunities and could be a long-term successor to Alexander-Arnold.

Despite the potential loss of one of their most influential players, former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock believes the club will cope. Speaking to Liverpool.com, he said: “Liverpool played against Real Madrid this season without Trent and beat them, so it shows they can cope without him. They coped with losing players like Luis Suárez and Steven Gerrard, they can cope without Trent. It’s about making sure you replace these players with quality.

“I think Trent will go,” he added. “You can’t blame him, he’s won everything there is to win at the club. He’s done great. People say he’s not great defensively but he gives us so much going forward. He’s such a good player as well.”

For now, Alexander-Arnold remains sidelined with an ankle injury suffered in Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, meaning he will miss the Merseyside derby against Everton on April 2. However, if these reports are accurate, the England international could soon be preparing for a fresh challenge in La Liga, marking the end of an era at Anfield.