What Trent Alexander-Arnold has said about celebrating against his former club

An old video has resurfaced in which Trent Alexander-Arnold suggests that he could be prepared to celebrate against a former club should the fans ‘give him stick’.

Undoubtedly the most divisive talking point heading into the summer transfer window has been – and remains – Alexander-Arnold’s impending move from boyhood team Liverpool to La Liga giants Real Madrid.

Speculation over Alexander-Arnold’s future has provided a rather uncomfortable backdrop to Liverpool’s title-winning campaign, with the right-back out of contract in a months’ time.

Key men Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk both committed to Liverpool by signing long-term contract extensions, but local lad Alexander-Arnold – a poster boy of the club’s academy – confirmed earlier this month that his time on Merseyside was coming to an end.

The decision has been met with scathing criticism from large sections of the Reds’ impassioned fanbase and the fact the England international will be departing on a free transfer has intensified a perceived feeling of betrayal.

Many Liverpool supporters made their standpoint abundantly clear during the side’s recent 2-2 draw with Arsenal, with the Scouse full-back greeted with a chorus of boos and jeers as he entered the fray at Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold was spared the same treatment on Monday night as Arne Slot, perhaps wisely, kept the defender on the substitutes bench for the entirety of the newly crowned champions’ 3-2 defeat to Brighton.

It remains to be seen if the two-time Premier League winner will be given the opportunity to wear the club’s colours for one last time when Slot’s men play host to Crystal Palace for the final contest of the campaign next weekend.

Some have already began looking ahead to next season and a possible meeting between Madrid and Liverpool in the Champions League.

What would happen if Alexander-Arnold dared to score in front of the Kop? Given the stick he has received, would he be justified in giving some of it back?

Well, this video on England’s official YouTube channel, featuring Alexander-Arnold and his soon-to-be Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham, may provide some insight into the right-back’s thinking.

Towards the end of the interview, Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham are tasked with solving a ‘dilemma’ sent in from a fan, who asked if he was ‘justified’ in performing an Emmanuel Adebayor-esque celebration against his former team after their supporters gave him stick.

Bellingham was unequivocal with his response, saying: ‘Mate, your celebration is absolutely justified. I hope you gave it more than Adebayor!’

A slightly more hesitant Alexander-Arnold replied: ‘Yeah, if you’ve given them a lot as a player and then you leave and they give you stick… justified.

‘But also, I do like the old [muted celebration].

‘There’s a point. You’ll get booed but then if it starts to get a little bit personal then you’ve crossed a line there.’

Liverpool have identified Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong as their top target to replace Alexander-Arnold at right-back and a £30million agreement has been reached for the Netherlands international.

It’s understood the Reds are also close to wrapping up a deal for Milos Kerkez, who will provide strong competition for Andy Robertson at left-back.

Bournemouth are believed to be holding out for a fee of £45m for the Hungary international.

‘I think we can find one or two extra weapons this team doesn’t have,’ Slot said of Liverpool’s plans for the window.

‘Maybe, maybe, by using the transfer market. That is what we are trying to achieve.

‘That will make us only stronger. That is what we need because we saw Manchester City spending £200m in the January transfer window. All of them will.

‘Apart from the transfer window, we can also improve certain aspects ourselves.’

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