Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season, with the right-back set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer
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Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool celebrates the teams victory and confirmation of winning the Premier League title
(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Trent Alexander-Arnold has taken to social media to share a message ahead of his final match as a Liverpool player. The England international confirmed earlier this month that he would be parting ways with the Reds when his contract runs out this summer.
Alexander-Arnold is all set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. But Los Blancos are still hopeful of persuading Liverpool to release him early, to make the 26-year-old available for the FIFA Club World Cup in USA next month.
Alexander-Arnold's impending departure has been met with mixed reactions from Liverpool fans in recent weeks.
There was a split among away supporters when he came off the bench to net the winning goal against Leicester City last month, and a sizeable portion of the Anfield crowd booed him during his substitute appearance in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal two weeks ago. He remained an unused substitute in Monday's 3-2 loss to Brighton.
And head coach Arne Slot has been left with a difficult decision to make on whether to give Alexander-Arnold any further game time - and the chance to say farewell to supporters at Anfield - in the season's final game against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
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Ahead of that fixture, Alexander-Arnold has posted a picture of a special pair of football boots, one of which has 2005 labelled on the tongue - the year he joined the club's academy - while the other states 2025, referencing his departure.
The boots are also accompanied by a succinct caption: "20 years. Gave it everything."
Since making his Liverpool debut in October 2016, Alexander-Arnold has racked up 353 appearances, netting 23 goals and providing 86 assists.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's boots ahead of his final Liverpool game
Trent Alexander-Arnold's boots ahead of his final Liverpool game
Speaking on Friday, former Kop boss Jurgen Klopp echoed recent comments from Mo Salah as he expressed disappointment at supporters for jeers and boos towards Alexander-Arnold.
Jurgen Klopp, making his first trip back to the city since his departure last summer, reiterated Mohamed Salah's disappointment during a Friday address over the negative reactions he has received from some Liverpool fans.
“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,” said Klopp, while guest of honour at the LFC Foundation Gala Ball.
“I watched the game when he came on and I heard the booing. I’m old so it may 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.”
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