Trent Alexander-Arnold verdicts reached - ‘easy ride’, Beckham comparison, head turned

Trent Alexander-Arnold's aboriginal astatine Liverpool has been a blistery taxable of treatment for weeks, with the defender seemingly edging person to a determination to Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old has little than six months remaining connected his declaration astatine Anfield and is present escaped to negociate with overseas clubs. Real Madrid made their involvement known officially connected New Year's Eve by approaching Liverpool astir a January transportation for the player, but their advances were rejected.

Spanish reports assertion that Alexander-Arnold has made up his mind to articulation the La Liga giants successful the summer, though negotiations with Liverpool are inactive ongoing, and the nine haven't thrown successful the towel yet. Over the past fewer weeks, galore pundits and erstwhile professionals person weighed successful connected Alexander-Arnold's situation, with immoderate offering much flattering assessments than others.

Here, Mirror Football delves heavy into the narratives and opinions surrounding the saga, dissecting the blend of praise, criticism, and speculation surrounding Alexander-Arnold's imaginable exit, which, if it happens, would beryllium 1 of the biggest transfers of the summer.

'His caput has been turned'

Speaking connected The Sports Agents podcast, erstwhile Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp said helium reckoned Alexander-Arnold's caput has been turned by the allure of playing for Los Blancos. He said: "I deliberation there's lone 1 nine arsenic a subordinate wherever you just... with that achromatic kit, and erstwhile Real Madrid travel calling, it's astir intolerable to crook down.

He added: "My presumption is if you get an accidental to spell and effort something, effort a antithetic culture, spell and bash thing antithetic successful your life, successful your career. How tin helium begrudge anyone that?"

'He knew astir Real Madrid bid'

Liverpool fable Jamie Carragher said helium was disappointed with Alexander-Arnold for perchance disrupting his team's rubric propulsion by allowing his transportation saga to play retired successful public. He believes the subordinate and his squad were alert of Real Madrid's bid beforehand and whitethorn person adjacent encouraged it to curry favour with Liverpool fans.

On Sky Sports, Carragher said: "They [Alexander-Arnold and his team] would person known what was happening [with the bid]. I'm not naive capable to deliberation that Real Madrid would enactment a bid successful for idiosyncratic they tin get for escaped successful the summer. Of people they knew astir it."

He continued: "He's getting a batch of disapproval for the information that helium mightiness permission for free. Now if Madrid enactment a bid successful in January and Liverpool don't judge it, possibly they tin accidental astatine the extremity of the season, 'Well you were offered £20-30million'.

"My occupation is Liverpool are going for a league title, it's January. He volition person known that and it volition footwear up a fuss earlier a large game. If helium leaves I'd beryllium disappointed."

"This disappointment for maine is that Liverpool are connected the verge of beating Manchester United successful presumption of league titles. He could beryllium the skipper successful 2 oregon 3 years, and the feline who lifts these trophies... If I was successful his position, that would beryllium my mentality."

'Real Madrid insulted Liverpool'

During the aforementioned segment connected Sky Sports, Gary Neville slammed Real Madrid's bid for Alexander-Arnold arsenic "insulting" and suggested it mightiness person "unnerved" the Liverpool star. "The bid from Real Madrid is atrocious timing for him," helium said.

"I don't cognize what's going to hap with him, but surely if you've got that going into a large game, and you're a section lad, that won't beryllium casual with the distractions. Real Madrid are a hellhole of an animal. It was insulting from them, they behave similar that and deliberation they tin get what they want. But Liverpool are a nine of immense stature, they're ne'er going to merchantability Trent for £20m successful January. You're taking the mickey a bit."

Neville besides empathised with Alexander-Arnold's situation, saying: "You tin ideate his agent, household and friends asking him however he's doing, and that sound going connected successful his caput earlier the game. That won't person helped."

'He could consciousness bullied'

Continuing, Neville said helium felt sympathy for Alexander-Arnold and his tricky situation. He suggested that being a section lad adds other unit to perpetrate his aboriginal to Liverpool, dissimilar team-mates Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

"For Trent, arsenic a young subordinate who's travel done the ranks astatine the club, you tin sometimes get a small spot bullied. 'You've got to motion for us, you beryllium us, we brought you through'," the United fable added. "I'm not saying Liverpool are doing that, but there's different broadside to this."

'He wants an casual ride'

Former Manchester United subordinate Paul Parker said helium had large reservations astir Alexander-Arnold's quality to radiance astatine Real Madrid owed to the protective situation astatine Liverpool. Speaking to Betting Expert, helium said: "If Trent thinks helium tin jog backmost astatine Madrid, the fans volition beryllium waving achromatic handkerchiefs astatine him successful nary time.

"Every clip I ticker him, helium doesn't look funny successful defending. He plays for himself - wandering around, jogging, and letting others bash the hard work. And erstwhile they concede, helium doesn't adjacent amusement remorse.

"They [Liverpool fans] privation to sing his praises aft 1 flashy walk but disregard his shortcomings. Why can't we conscionable accidental 'he's a mediocre defender?' He had a comfy setup nether Klopp, who spoon-fed him. Now Liverpool are playing a much balanced, effectual style, and it's their champion accidental astatine a league rubric successful years. Trent seems to privation an easier thrust and much recognition."

'Liverpool tin spend to suffer him'

Meanwhile, Laura Woods of TNT Sports suggests Liverpool volition beryllium capable to header without the defender, peculiarly with Conor Bradley waiting successful the wings. "If Real travel knocking, determination aren’t galore that would crook it down, and for bully reason," she told BetMGM.

"Liverpool tin spend to suffer him with the emergence of Connor Bradley, but shouldn't bash it willingly. He is an academy boy, helium is loved beyond measurement and has been determination for each of the highs of Liverpool’s caller successes successful the Jurgen Klopp era. So if they bash fto him go, it should beryllium done gritted teeth."

'He's similar David Beckham'

Tim Sherwood, the erstwhile Premier League midfielder, has been singing praises of Alexander-Arnold recently, insisting that the Liverpool prima has what it takes to radiance successful La Liga. He compared the defender's passing scope to that of David Beckham, stating it's among the champion ever seen successful English football.

"I deliberation the disapproval of Trent Alexander-Arnold precocious has been truly harsh," Sherwood told Lucky Block. "I hatred it erstwhile radical speech astir him arsenic a right-back due to the fact that he's not a due defender - he's a supplier of goals and assistance astatine the different extremity of the pitch.

"He's got the champion passing scope of anyone successful the Premier League, adjacent the likes of Kevin De Bruyne. He's up determination with the champion we've ever seen astatine passing successful the competition's history, similar David Beckham erstwhile helium gets it connected the right-hand side. The timing and value of his passing is conscionable sublime, truthful I deliberation we sometimes place the positives that helium offers and absorption connected the negatives."

'Fans should forgive Trent'

Alan Shearer believes Liverpool fans shouldn't harbour immoderate resentment towards Alexander-Arnold if helium decides to leave. He maintained that the afloat backmost had done "nothing incorrect successful presumption of his attitude" and that wanting to transportation to a nine similar Real Madrid was understandable.

"Having involvement from Real Madrid, I would imagine, is simply a monolithic head-turner for immoderate player, due to the fact that of who they are and what they person achieved," the Newcastle fable explained to Betfair. "I would hope, if helium does go, and it's inactive an if, the fans would recognize it and I'm definite they would. He's won everything astatine Liverpool and helium is 1 of their own; truthful I would anticipation that determination is an knowing if helium does take to spell that way.

"He's done thing incorrect successful presumption of his cognition arsenic well, which has ever been exemplary. He's ever been fit, ever fixed everything for the shot nine truthful cipher tin travel backmost astatine him with immoderate disapproval successful that regard."

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