Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has detailed his hurt at Trent Alexander-Arnold's expected free transfer to Real Madrid and his theory on why the player is set to move to the Bernabeu
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Jamie Carragher on The Overlap
Jamie Carragher has touted a new theory as to why Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid
(Image: The Overlap)
There could be many motivations behind Trent Alexander-Arnold's expected move to Real Madrid – but Jamie Carragher believes he has it all worked out for an ulterior reason.
The Liverpool and England right-back is widely expected to move to the Bernabeu for free when his contract expires in the summer. Alexander-Arnold, 26, is already free to enter discussions with clubs abroad as he approaches the end of his Anfield deal, and the latest reports claim terms with Real have already been agreed.
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There are many reasons why a player of his quality would opt to join Los Blancos, who are omnipresent in the hunt for football's biggest awards. But there's one hint Alexander-Arnold has dropped in the past that Carragher believes points to the truth of the matter.
Speaking about why he believes Alexander-Arnold is leaving on The Overlap, Carragher said: "I think Trent is a player who looks at himself almost like a brand, and that’s not just him, a lot of players do now.
"I go back to an interview he gave on Sky Sports before Christmas, where he was given five options on which he’d pick as the most important for you – captain of Liverpool, win the Champions League with Liverpool, win the World Cup with England, or win the Ballon d’Or – and he chose the Ballon d’Or.
"He wanted to be the first full-back that won the Ballon d’Or, and there’s nothing wrong with having ambition, but that didn’t go down particularly well with Liverpool supporters.”
The futures of Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk – each of whom will see their contracts run out in June as things stand – have been something of a stain on an otherwise prosperous first term under Arne Slot. The Reds are shoo-ins to win this year's Premier League title, though their recent exits from the Champions League and FA Cup have been bitter pills to swallow.
The point has been made that those disappointments may not have occurred were it not for the uncertainty relating to those three stars potentially set to leave. And the fact Liverpool may not receive a fee for Alexander-Arnold, Salah nor Van Dijk makes the situation even more difficult to accept.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Anfield product Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to join Real for free in the summer
Carragher – who made 737 appearances for Liverpool and won seven major titles, including the 2005 Champions League – went on to detail aspects of the move and why fans are upset for different reasons. A recurring theme is the fact Liverpool will receive nothing for a player who should be fetching them huge sums given his quality and age profile.
But that doesn't bother Carragher as much. Instead, the retired defender is more focused on the fact Alexander-Arnold wants to leave at all at a time when the Reds have an opportunity to close on the likes of Real Madrid or Manchester United in titles won, both domestically and on the continent.
"I’m not angry about him going on a free," he continued. "In an ideal world, Liverpool would get £70m or £80m for him to reinvest, but you can’t have it both ways as a supporter. If Liverpool sign someone on a free in the summer, we’d all be delighted, so does that mean that his former club should absolutely hate him?
"Also, when you’re a local player you don’t cost anything – Trent going on a free is like Virgil van Dijk leaving for £75m, we’d still break even.
"Where I’m at is that, as a local player and a Liverpool fan, Liverpool are in a position where they’re competing for the league and a European Cup every year. So, if you’re a Liverpool fan and a local player, I’m just disappointed that he doesn’t think that this is it."
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