Jurgen Klopp has made his feelings clear on Trent Alexander-Arnold moving to Real Madrid after sending a previous warning.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Set for Real Madrid Move as Liverpool Exit Nears
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is reportedly on the verge of leaving the club, with talkSPORT claiming he has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid on a five-year deal. The move would see him reunite with England teammate Jude Bellingham at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Alongside Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold is out of contract at the end of the season, and speculation about his future has overshadowed Liverpool’s title challenge under new manager Arne Slot. Despite ongoing negotiations, there has been little progress on a contract extension, making his departure increasingly likely.
Alexander-Arnold has largely avoided discussing his future, but in a previous interview with Sky Sports, he emphasized his preference for keeping contract talks private:
“I have been at the club 20 years now and I have signed four or five contract extensions… and none of those have been played out in public. This one won’t be either.”
Now, reports suggest his exit is all but confirmed, with Real Madrid offering him a lucrative £220,000-per-week salary. Liverpool will not receive a transfer fee, as the right-back’s contract expires this summer.
Alexander-Arnold made his senior debut under Jürgen Klopp in 2016 and became a key figure in Liverpool’s success, winning both the Premier League and Champions League. Klopp has not directly commented on his potential exit, but his past stance on player loyalty was evident when he tried to convince Philippe Coutinho to stay at Liverpool in 2018 rather than move to Barcelona.
With his move to Madrid seemingly imminent, Liverpool faces the challenge of replacing a player who has been central to their success for nearly a decade.
Klopp’s Past Advice to Coutinho Resurfaces Amid Alexander-Arnold’s Real Madrid Move
Jürgen Klopp once warned Philippe Coutinho about leaving Liverpool, telling him:
“Stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honour. Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more.” (The Mirror)
Coutinho ignored Klopp’s advice, joining Barcelona for a club-record £142 million in 2018. His time in Spain was underwhelming, and by 2022, he was back in the Premier League with Aston Villa. While he did win two La Liga titles and a Champions League (on loan at Bayern Munich), his career never quite reached the heights expected.
Now, with talkSPORT reporting that Trent Alexander-Arnold has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid, Klopp’s words take on new relevance. The right-back, who has spent his entire career at Liverpool, appears set to leave Anfield on a free transfer.
Alexander-Arnold’s Shirt Number Change at Real Madrid
If Alexander-Arnold completes his move to Madrid, he will be forced to change his iconic No.66 shirt. La Liga rules dictate that first-team players must wear numbers between 1 and 25, with reserve players assigned numbers from 26 to 50.
Currently, Real Madrid has a few available numbers, including 12, 24, and 25 (typically reserved for a third-choice goalkeeper). It remains to be seen which number Alexander-Arnold will take, but it will mark the end of an era for the defender who has worn 66 throughout his Liverpool career.
