**Trent Alexander-Arnold made his return to Anfield on Tuesday night after completing a free transfer move to Real Madrid in the summer.**
Liverpool fans were heavily criticised for their reaction to Alexander-Arnold revealing he would be moving to Madrid.
However, despite what many rival fans and pundits seem to believe, it has little to do with simply wanting to leave the club. That’s understandable, especially for a player who helped bring so much success to Anfield.
The manner in which he left while Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk renewewed their respective contracts made it it a tough pill for fans to swallow.
Now, Jamie Carragher has shared a bit more context and insight into why the transfer bothered Liverpool fans – particularly Scouse supporters – so much.
Jamie Carragher defends Liverpool fans for hostile Trent Alexander-Arnold reception
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Speaking after Liverpool beat Madrid 1-0, Carragher spoke out in defence of supporters after Alexander-Arnold was booed loudly every time he touched the ball.
_“I think the supporters decide what time of reception he gets,”_ Carragher said on [CBS](https://www.tiktok.com/@cbssportsgolazo/video/7568976082204986679?_r=1&_t=ZN-9183zuzetC2).
_“Trent throughout his 20s said he has played the position of ‘I’m a supporter on the pitch,’ but those supporters who are all in the stadium wouldn’t leave on a free transfer to join Real Madrid._
_“It’s his career, you only get one career, he’s a young man, been brilliantly successful at the club, but what he has said since he got in the Liverpool team, if it were true that Liverpool were the only team for him, wanted to be captain, wants to be a legend, then you don’t leave when you’ve just won the league title._
_“Or when you’ve got the opportunity to win more trophies with your club, then join a team who’s beaten you twice in a Champions League final._
_“I totally understand the reaction, and most of it is because they believe they have been hoodwinked by a lot of it and by Trent throughout the process of him being at the club._
_“Also in the last year as he did no media interviews, didn’t get involved in anything where there was talk around him, Salah and van Dijk._
_“They were coming out constantly in the press saying they wanted to stay, but Trent was very silent on the issue and that’s where the frustration comes from the supporters.”_