England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed his decision amidst uncertainties swirling around his Liverpool future.
Arnold has one year left on his Liverpool contract. In January 2025, he will be free to enter into contract talks with clubs with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.
The shocking development in Arnold’s Liverpool career has been the fact that the club has yet to settle with him for a new contract.
Talks have yet to be confirmed, with rumours increasingly linking the player to a possible exit next summer.
Meanwhile, top clubs in Europe have expressed concrete interest in the player and should Liverpool fail to agree new terms with him, they risk losing him as a free agent.
The irony is that Arnold has been key to the Liverpool squad since his breakout into first-team football in 2016. He played a big role in ex-manager Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool defence, starting domestic and European fixtures on a regular.
With Klopp leaving the reins recently, the question was whether the ball-playing defender will cement his place in new manager Arne Slot’s Liverpool setup.
Trent Alexander-Arnold under Arne Slot
So far, it appears Arnold has gelled into Arne Slot’s new setup, cementing his place as a top-choice defender for the team.
This season, he has played all of Liverpool’s five Premier League matches and is set to retain his spot as a priority defender for the Dutch tactician.
In the last Premier League match against Bournemouth on Saturday, September 20, 2024, he provided the assist for Luis Diaz’s second goal against the Cherries. The goal contribution saw him reach a landmark 100 goal contributions for Liverpool in all competitions since his big break.
Meanwhile, his standout performances for both club and country have contributed to the mystery that has enshrouded his career at Liverpool. The question has been why Liverpool has yet to tie him down to a new contract with his contract running out fast.
Trent Alexander-Arnold breaks silence on his Liverpool future
Speaking after Liverpool’s 3-0 smashing of Bournemouth, Arnold put speculations on his future at Liverpool to rest.
According to him, he has been at the club for over two decades, signing five contracts in total. Hence, he is not worried about renewing terms with the club.
His comment also suggested that the two parties may be locked in talks for a new deal but away from the glares of the media.
“Look, I have been at the club 20 years now. I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public – and this one won’t be either.
‘‘Also, I have always said I want to captain the club – that is an aim and a goal of mine, whether that happens is out of my hands and I want to be a Liverpool player this season (as a minimum) is what I will say,” he said.
Real Madrid interested in Alexander-Arnold
Much of the speculations surrounding the future of Arnold at Liverpool has been due to the strong interest of Real Madrid in the player. Los Blancos have been strongly linked to the player since the days of ex-manager Jurgen Klopp but Arnold has always gesticulated towards continuing his career with Liverpool in the Premier League.
The delay in a new contract offer by Liverpool fueled the rumours and further zoomed Real Madrid into the picture. However, Arnold’s recent comment must have laid all those rumours to rest.
The England top-rated right-back joined Liverpool as a teenager at the age of 5. He played in the club’s academy for 12 years before breaking into the senior team in 2016. He has made 316 appearances in all competitions, scoring 19 goals with 81 assists.
