Arne Slot faces losing one of his key players in the summer (Picture: Getty)
Gary Lineker has urged Trent Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool at the end of the season and join close friend Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid.
The 26-year-old’s current contract with the Premier League leaders is due to expire at the end of the season, meaning that he could leave Anfield as a free agent next summer.
Liverpool have been keen to secure a new deal with the England international, however, an agreement has not been reached.
Reports in Spain now suggest that Alexander-Arnold has decided to sign for Real Madrid and has informed Liverpool of his plans.
And Lineker, who himself moved from Everton to Barcelona in the eighties, has told the full-back to follow through on the move, concinved that the Englishman will thrive in Spain.
‘It seems to make a lot of sense to me,’ Linker said on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast. ‘Free transfer is how Real Madrid have done things recently.
‘He is really close to Jude Bellingham and would fit in there beautifully. He would be a massive success. They wouldn’t focus on his defending critically as we do here – overly in my opinion. It’s a great fit and would be a huge loss for Liverpool.
Trent Alexander-Arnold faces an uncertain future at Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
‘But they have a youngster coming through in Conor Bradley who has done really well. I think it is highly likely that will happen, although I have no inside information whatsoever.’
Lineker continued: ‘How do you say no to Real Madrid? ‘Liverpool is an incredible football club, but a fresh challenge, playing abroad, I did it myself. Playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona is truly special.
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‘However strong and powerful and rich the Premier League is, the world’s greats still go to Barcelona and Real Madrid. The only exception in recent times is Erling Haaland. That aside, they go there.
‘He will love it there. It will be amazing. They’ll worship and appreciate his passing range. He is in the prime of his career. I wouldn’t begrudge him.’
Alexander-Arnold scored Liverpool’s fourth in their 5-0 win over West Ham at the weekend and celebrated by making ‘talking’ gesture with his hand, potentially in reference to ongoing speculation surrounding his future.
Speaking after the game, Liverpool boss Arne Slot suggested that the right-back’s choice of celebration was perhaps telling.
‘He’s playing really well, scored a great goal and the way he celebrated his goal probably tells you enough,’ he said. ‘I don’t think I have to say much more about it.
‘I’m really happy with Trent, just as happy as I am with Mo and with Virgil. So for me, there’s no difference. For the outside world, maybe there’s a bit more things happening around Trent in the media than with the other two but I’m happy with all three of them at the moment.’
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