Liverpool legacy and replacement plan as Trent Alexander-Arnold 'exit' discussed

Liverpool legacy, free transfer gripe, replacement plan - Trent Alexander-Arnold verdict given

Latest Liverpool transfer news as ECHO writers debate the effect of the update on Trent Alexander-Arnold's future at Anfield

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Trent Alexander-Arnold's name is back in the headlines as his future at Liverpool continues to generate speculation. The Reds vice-captain is out of contract in the summer and has been heavily linked with a move away from Anfield at the end of the season.

Alexander-Arnold is not the only player to be out of contract this summer, with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah also seeing their current deals expire at the end of June. In Alexander-Arnold's case, though, the right-back is the only member of the trio who has been heavily linked with move to a specific club.

Real Madrid have shown an interest in signing Alexander-Arnold for several months, and now an update has emerged about the Kirkby academy graduate's future. talkSPORT have claimed that Alexander-Arnold has agreed to join the La Liga giants in the summer, with a five-year contract apparently being finalised.

If the report turns out to be true, Alexander-Arnold's 20-year association with Liverpool would come to an end and leave Arne Slot and Co. with some important decisions to make. Here, ECHO writers debate the latest update on Alexander-Arnold's future and what it could mean for the Reds.

Mark Wakefield

This is not how the story was supposed to go. Trent Alexander-Arnold, the apparent heir to Steven Gerrard as the boyhood Red captaining Liverpool to glory, may end up leaving the club for free in a few months time.

If the reports turn out to be true and Alexander-Arnold has agreed to leave Liverpool to join Real Madrid, it would be bitterly disappointing, to say the least. In my mind, I always pictured Alexander-Arnold as following in Gerrard's footsteps, captaining Liverpool to major trophies and serving the majority, if not the entirety, of his playing career at Anfield.

From Liverpool's perspective, Alexander-Arnold's departure would leave a significant void that must be filled. And when there are already other areas of the squad that need addressing, this would only increase the difficulty of the task at hand in the summer.

Until it's officially confirmed, I will hold out hope that Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool can agree a deal before the end of the season. But based on the latest reports, it seems more and more unlikely now, unfortunately.

Keifer MacDonald

After such a lengthy silence, the news that Trent Alexander-Arnold is seemingly edging closer towards a move to Real Madrid will come as little surprise to Liverpool supporters.

The 26-year-old has shunned ample opportunities to commit himself to the Arne Slot era at Anfield this season and instead allowed a deafening silence to fill the void.

Now, he looks set on a switch to the Spanish capital at the end of the season, which will see the end of his 21-year association with the Reds.

It goes without saying, of course, that losing a player of Alexander-Arnold's class is a devastating blow that will cost Liverpool tens of millions of pounds to put right.

But unlike Liverpool, though, no amount of money will be able to rectify Alexander-Arnold's decision to swap Anfield for the Santiago Bernabeu and play out the prime years of his career away from his boyhood club.

Sure, even if he walks away from Liverpool as a two-time Premier League winner on July 1, the fall-out from this will-he, wont-he saga has done considerable damage to his otherwise legendary Anfield career. Only he will know if that is a deal worth agreeing to.

In terms of what's next for Liverpool, Conor Bradley - while a different type of player to Alexander-Arnold - has shown in glimpses during his brief career with the Reds that he has the quality to make a difference at Anfield.

Richard Garnett

I accepted some time ago now that loyalty in football is long gone, so news that Alexander-Arnold is seemingly closing in on a free transfer to Real Madrid is hardly surprising. It is, never-the-less, very disappointing. The Liverpool-born right-back has already enjoyed a stellar career at his boyhood club and should have gone on to become the club's captain. Instead he will be just another name at Real Madrid.

It's hard to begrudge him the move given the lifestyle opportunities such a switch can present him with. But his legacy should have been one of Liverpool legend and now it won't. Having said that. He already has a mural outside Anfield. Who's idea was that? Perhaps we should be a bit more selective on that type of stuff in the future.

Very good players have left Liverpool many times before. Sometimes for next-to-nothing. It's a blow today but the team will get over it and someone else will emerge as the new homegrown hero of the Kop. Adios.

Hannah Pinnock

Any glimmers of hope that Alexander-Arnold will stay at Liverpool have gradually diminished in recent weeks, and the latest reports strongly suggest it’s a matter of when, not if, his departure will be confirmed. To say it’s a bitter pill to swallow would be an understatement.

Everyone will have their own opinion on what his exit at this stage of his career will mean for his legacy, but that’s a debate for another time. For now, the focus must remain on winning the Premier League title.

The priority must also be extending Salah and Van Dijk’s contracts. This is no longer a 'nice to have' for the club, but an absolute necessity if the vice-captain is already on the verge of leaving. Liverpool can just about afford to lose one of the three, given the cost of replacing them, but it would be catastrophic if all three leave for nothing.

James Quinlan

I caught a glimpse of the Legends match over the weekend with Steven Gerrard back home in a Liverpool shirt. As well as all the memories it brought back up, it made me think: ‘he would kill to have what Trent Alexander-Arnold has had in his nine years around the senior team’.

Every single major honour under the sun, and that could be two Premier League trophies come the end of the season. Gerrard had plenty of chances to trade in his Anfield career with less opportunities for silverware in that time than Alexander-Arnold has not only already had, but stands to have. He is foolish to not recognise we are at a crossroads in English football, Man City are going off the boil with Pep Guardiola soon gone, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal project is faltering, so there is a gap opening up for the next dominant force to establish themselves.

If he would be willing to trade all of that in for a less competitive league, no connection with supporters whilst burning bridges with his old ones, I’d be highly disappointed.

Jake Stokes

To leave your boyhood club on a free transfer is crazy. Liverpool are going to miss out on millions because Trent Alexander-Arnold didn't have the courtesy of signing a contract beforehand.

In this day and age, as an academy graduate, his sale would have gone down as pure profit on the books. That would have been huge for the club. Of course, in an ideal world, Alexander-Arnold signs a long-term contract and stays at Anfield.

But, the 26-year-old is not the first – and he certainly won't be the last – top player to leave Liverpool. At the very least, he could have secured the club a transfer fee of some sort. But, no. He's leaving the Reds empty-handed.

At least the likes of Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho garnered a fee! To reportedly agree a deal with Real Madrid in the middle of a Premier League title race. Ouch. To finally make a decision on his future this late is not a good look.

I struggle to see how Alexander-Arnold can leave Liverpool on good terms.

Kieran King

Alexander-Arnold's impending departure is no doubt a hammer blow for Liverpool. At 26, he has achieved so much in his Reds career - winning every major honour available to him - but it does feel like he has a lot more to give and attain at Anfield, and his exit is no doubt a bitter one for Reds fans.

As it now looks almost certain that Alexander-Arnold is going to join Real Madrid, how can Liverpool cope without him? I think Conor Bradley has the potential to become a long-term solution at right-back. He has impressed when called upon over the last 18 months and he deserves a chance to shine.

However, Liverpool do need to sign another right-back to replace Alexander-Arnold, and I think that the Reds should look at bringing in an experienced Premier League campaigner to compete with Bradley for the shirt.

Nottingham Forest's Ola Aina, who is out of contract this summer, would be the one I would look it. The 28-year-old has had a fine season at The City Ground and he is a perfect cost-efficient replacement.

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