Jurgen Klopp has revealed his strong response to Liverpool fans booing Trent Alexander-Arnold, while the Anfield icon has also hit out at speculation he could manage again in the near future.
Alexander-Arnold recently confirmed he will leave Liverpool on a free transfer at the end of the season. While the right-back has yet to announce his next club, it is understood he has agreed a five-year contract with Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold adores Liverpool but says he wants to leave in order to experience ‘a new challenge’.
Liverpool supporters are split on the decision. Some feel it is ok for him to try something new after 20 years at the club and a host of trophies.
Others, however, are furious that Alexander-Arnold would want to leave his boyhood club, especially when they are winning silverware. The fact the England star is departing for no transfer fee makes the issue even more contentious.
Liverpool players were left staggered by the volume of boos when Alexander-Arnold came off the bench against Arsenal in his first appearance since confirming his exit.
Alexander-Arnold also looked forlorn when applauding the travelling Liverpool fans after the 3-2 away defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Klopp appeared at the LFC Foundation Gala Ball on Friday night and was asked about the situation. He defended the 26-year-old and claimed only Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group have the right to be annoyed.
“I don’t want to tell anyone what they should think, I don’t want to say what you have to think but I can tell you what you think is wrong. I am an old man and I don’t waste time with hiding my opinion,” Klopp said (via The Times).
“I watched the game when he came on and I heard the booing. I’m old so it my be my hearing so I turned up the volume and said: ‘That’s booing’.
“I needed another 10 seconds to realise and then I switched the telly off. I honestly could not have been more disappointed in this moment. This is not us, 100 per cent.
“I don’t tell you you should not be disappointed or angry, I tell you: ‘Don’t forget’. This club does not forget. We are famous for not forgetting.
“We don’t forget anything. We don’t forget the good thing and we don’t forget the bad thing. But we ignore the bad things and remember the good things.
“You don’t have to be happy he is going but don’t forget what he did for this club because I can’t forget it.
“I was there every day – if he wouldn’t have given everything, I would tell you now but every day he gave absolutely everything for this club and now, after 20 years, he has decided he wants to go somewhere else.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold ‘gave absolutely everything’ – Jurgen Klopp
“If someone should be angry it should be the owners – but they are not. ‘Why didn’t he sign a new contract?’ I hear this from fans, this money discussion: ‘He goes without a transfer fee’.
“They (the owners) have to be angry. Not us but it is not about that. He gave absolutely everything and wears the Liverpool badge in the skin.
“This boy, 18 years old, scored a free-kick in Hoffenheim where if he doesn’t score that we don’t qualify for the Champions League.
“Against Barcelona he did the most cheeky thing in the world and set up the goal for 4-0, a result and a game which will not happen again.
“But now he plays next year for another club and we decide how we deal with that.”
The Liverpool icon also shut down rumours he might succeed from Claudio Ranieri as Roma boss.
“I’m not going to become AS Roma new head coach,” he added. “That story is bull****. If you read any rumours about me taking a coaching job in the next few years it’s bull****. You can be the first to say it.”
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