Jamie Carragher “Disappointed” by Trent Alexander-Arnold Madrid Decision
The ex-Red and current Sky pundit explains his main problem with Alexander-Arnold’s decision to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer.
It appears as though Trent Alexander-Arnold is now all but certain to depart Liverpool on a free transfer at the end of the 2024-25 season, with the 26-year-old right back apparently intent on joining Real Madrid. It’s a situation that has left many Liverpool fans grumbling.
As ex-Red Jamie Carragher sees it, there isn’t a singular reason, with fans focusing in on different aspects of his departure as problematic. And for him, the big issue is Alexander-Arnold’s apparent indifference to building a longer-term club legacy.
“I’m not angry about going on a free,” Carragher said on Sky. “In an ideal world, Liverpool would get £70m or £80m, but where I’m at is as a local player, 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. I’m putting myself in his position where I’d be thinking I’ve got another seven or eight years at Liverpool and want to get three or four ahead of [Manchester United] with a couple more European Cups.”
Alexander-Arnold will be remembered for his place in Jürgen Klopp’s side that won the Premier League during Covid and won the Champions League. He’ll be remembered for corner taken quickly and the Barcelona comeback.
As things stand, though, it’s hard to imagine in a year or ten the player will be in the conversation as an all time great. With more time and more trophies he played a key part in—and the consensus at the moment is he hasn’t played a decisive part in this year’s title push—he might well have been.
That’s his choice of course. And perhaps Alexander-Arnold will find the Ballon d’Or he said he wants to win at Madrid. Though it’s hard to imagine Madrid throwing their weight behind a fullback in a team with Jude Bellingham, Vinicius, and Kylian Mbappé.
His departure, though, is an acceptance of the fact that he won’t be remembered the way that players before him like Steven Gerrard or Kenny Dalglish are—or the way a current star like Mohamed Salah who has signalled his desire to stay likely will be.
As a local player and boyhood Red that is, as Carragher points out, a slightly surprising choice. At the end of the day, though, it’s Alexander-Arnold’s choice to make and over the next few years will put proof to whether it’s the right one.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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