Jamie Carragher says Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ‘one of our own’ status among Liverpool fans has “diminished” after his decision to leave the club, and he has sacrificed that love from the fans by choosing Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold announced he will be leaving the Reds on a free transfer at the end of the season, with a verbal agreement reached to join Real.
The 26-year-old had been at the club for two decades, coming through the academy and playing 352 times for the club – who he helped to win nine major honours, including two Premier League titles and the 2019 Champions League.
“He will lose something that he’s got right now in terms of Liverpool supporters’ love for him, him being ‘one of their own’ will diminish,” said Carragher to Sky Sports.
“Some people will say: playing for Real Madrid, that price is not worth paying. Some other people will say: ‘You’ve got to play for Real Madrid, it’s the biggest club in the world.’
“You can put how the supporters feel to one side, it’s your career and you get one chance at it. I don’t think any Liverpool fan can deny that Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world.
“But that [love from the fans] is something he has sacrificed playing for Real Madrid.”
Asked if that love and devotion from the fans is an important thing for a player, Carragher replied: “It mattered to me, but I was never in this situation where I had the options of maybe choosing a club of the calibre of Real Madrid.
“For some people it does, and some people it doesn’t. Some people want, in their career, to play for some of the best clubs in the world – and you look at that career and think: ‘Wow – Liverpool and Real Madrid’.
“I’m actually thinking about Xabi Alonso’s career – Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – some of the biggest clubs in the world. And where do you go from Real Madrid and Liverpool – two of the biggest clubs in world football?”
‘I’m not angry with Trent’
Liverpool, meanwhile, managed to extend the contracts of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk – both previously out of contract this summer – until 2027, but they were not able to convince the England international.
News of Alexander-Arnold’s departure has split the Liverpool fanbase – but Carragher says he sits down the middle of opinion – adding the lure of Real Madrid may be too much for any player.
Asked if he is concerned that Liverpool have let one of the most valuable assets leave for nothing, Carragher said: “No. I would love to have got what he’s worth. £70m to £100m, he’s a unique footballer, and then go and try to replace him.
“I’m not as angry with Trent as some of the fanbase are as he’s gone on a free, but he came on a free. He came through the academy, he cost the club nothing.
“Liverpool were never going to sell Trent Alexander-Arnold before his contract was up and Real Madrid were never going to sign Alexander-Arnold before his contract was up.
“Because if you look at the history of Real Madrid signings over the last two or three years, I think they speak to players and their agents a year or two out – and say if you want to play for Real Madrid, we will sign you in a couple of years.
“I’m not saying that’s what happened with Trent, but it definitely happened with players before and may have happened in this situation.
“But Real Madrid don’t pay massive fees, they wait for players to leave on a free. They feel they are the biggest club in the world and everybody wants to play for them.”
‘Madrid are rivals to Liverpool’
Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher made the point that Real Madrid can be viewed – in European terms – as direct rivals of Liverpool, with the club on an upward trajectory under Arne Slot.
Madrid are the gold standard when it comes to European titles, 15-time winners. The newly crowned Premier League champions, meanwhile, have six Champions League titles and were knocked out of this year’s competition at the round of 16 stage to PSG.
“I’m disappointed that, as a local player, he doesn’t think Liverpool are enough when they are winning,” Carragher said. “This Liverpool team is within the best five or six in Europe, just won the league.
“Liverpool could be on the verge of something special with the new manager. If I was in that position where I thought I could put Liverpool above Man United in league titles, an era of domination, get closer to Real Madrid – they are a rival of Liverpool in Europe.
“I’m disappointed that isn’t enough for him.”
‘Bradley has to be given a go as Trent’s replacement’
Liverpool now have the challenging task of filling the void left behind by Alexander-Arnold, who developed a reputation of being one of the most unique, creative and attack-minded full-backs in world football.
Conor Bradley has been the regular right-back alternative this season, but there are doubts as to whether the 21-year-old can fill Alexander-Arnold’s shoes straight away. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has played Curtis Jones, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez in that position too.
“Liverpool have to make a decision on Conor Bradley,” said Carragher. “Is he their right-back? And then they buy someone who fills in around him, whether that may be a utility player, maybe a centre-back who can play right-back?
“Or do they go and buy a recognised right-back and it’s a real fight for the right-back position?
“I think Bradley – for what he’s done so far in a Liverpool shirt – deserves to be given a go at being our right-back. And then Liverpool still need to go and invest in someone who can play in that area.
“And then 12 months down the line, you make that decision down the line of whether Bradley can play for Liverpool week in, week out. We probably still don’t know that right now, but he’s definitely done enough in a Liverpool shirt.”
