Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ‘dream came true’ at Liverpool but Real Madrid move will taint legacy | Football News

Trent Alexander-Arnold was only “a normal boy from Liverpool, whose dream came true”. The defender announced that he was leaving Anfield at the end of the season and here is why his expected move to Real Madrid is a nightmare for his local heritage …

In March 2017, Trent Alexander-Arnold was preparing for his first external interview as a Liverpool player and Ben Woodburn’s record, who had broken Michael Owen’s record, to become the youngest club scorer, had a tasting of media tasks at his side.

The location was a room right next to the reception at the Old Melwood campus, and before the pair entered, a member of the back -shop team stuck their heads through the door and said to this journalist: “You talk to a future Liverpool captain today – and no, it is not the one who made the titles.”

Alexander-Arnold’s natural leadership capacity jumped in this exercise: he was assured, directed the interview, resumed when Woodburn found it difficult to respond and lavished his praise to his teammate; Describing in detail why this moment in history – crushing the roof of the net in front of the Kop to break the 98 -day Owen record – was an accident.

He was obvious leaving Melwood that day that Alexander-Arnold, an attacker converted into a controlled and newly reused midfielder as a rear right, would become an element of the first Liverpool team.

His deposit and his force of goal stood out for such a measure that even Jurgen Klopp invoiced him in private as a future symbol of what the club represents.

Two years later, Alexander-Arnold embarked on his first documentary style feature. He was 20 years old, freshly out of street, quickly caught the euphoria and about to become the youngest starter in the consecutive final of the European Cup.

The local boy had grown up in stature and status, dropping sound tunes, his senior colleagues were too reluctant to express while he was passing the superb graces dressed in city stone – the royal liver building, the Cunard building and the port of Liverpool – surprisingly, for the first time.

“We are a world class team,” proposed Alexander-Arnold with the Scouse Characteristics of the Défi and Pieds before. “We shouldn’t be afraid to say that.”

Liverpool walked this conversation, adding a sixth European Cup after turning in a 97 -point season. Their right rear was, according to the description of Klopp, “one of the most implacable professionals I have met” and “the incarnation of the feeling” we will never stop “.”

As part of the Champions League victory celebrations, the Wrap Anfield – a winning production of fans – ordered a mural one minute on foot from the club stadium.

In his shadow, there was a new light for the community as a virgin wall on Sybil Road turned into a message of inspiration and a call for action. The faded brunette brick was covered by a giant painting by Alexander-Arnold celebrating the triumph alongside the words: “I’m just a normal boy from Liverpool, whose dream has just become reality.”

“For fans supporting food banks,” was the stamp next to the work, reminding people to donate on match days.

“It is not only a celebration of a footballer, it is a celebration of a person who represents his community so well, whose values ​​resonate with us as fans, and it was therefore important that a cause within the community benefited,” said Craig Hannan of The Anfield Wrap.

Alexander-Arnold attended the disclosure of the mural and urged donations for food banks.

Liverpool – The club, the city, the fans base – was seized by the Scouser in their team. Alexander-Arnold continued to help Merseysiders win all the trophies, in particular by putting an end to a 30-year expectation for the title of the League, his brand anchored in the concept of being Liverpudlian.

This is why, with Magic English League Title No. 20 in the bag and its move to Real Madrid, the strength of feeling around the rear is so fierce.

In the eyes of a large group of fans, he leaves his childhood club, which is well prepared for domestic and European honors, for nothing after having expelled his seizure.

They hold these quotes …

“Looking back on this time, although City won more titles than us and has probably been more effective, our trophies will mean more for us and our base of fans because of the situations of the two clubs, financially.

“I didn’t want to play for people like Bayern Munich, I wanted to be a Liverpool player.

“Playing for the club I love is more important than any position.

“Everyone who has my kit, everyone has any Liverpool kit – I owe them something. I owe them my best. Because I’m one of them. We are family.”

Alexander-Arnold would represent something else, something different to join Madrid.

Liverpool, as a club, is more realistic about the situation.

There was an acceptance that the sagas of the contract – Him, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah – materialized from their own inertia out of pitch, due to upheavals at the level of the sports director, then the decision of Klopp to leave.

Liverpool did not simply open the door to the offensive of the charm of Real Madrid, they deployed the red carpet and the Spanish giants fortunately walked on it for two years, before really resuming their interest before last summer.

The club has done Alexander-Arnold, but they understand the attraction of a new challenge, a new life and lifestyle experience and the appeal of being a real player.

Liverpool protected him, without allowing questions about his future when he fought with what is a decision loaded with emotion.

The club knows that it would be hypocritical, for example, to be bored by Alexander -Arnold leaving for Madrid when a good offer would be accepted this summer for Harvey Elliott – a player who refused the giants because he wanted to call Anfield his field.

Nor was it a problem for them to try to try to Martin Zubimenddi from his childhood club Real Sociedad.

Loyalty in football is an ideal applied to players, but not held to clubs.

This would largely explain why the locker rooms are not moved in situations like these. The Liverpool team, like the club, understood the position of Alexander-Arnold and that it is not only football, but the sampling of a different lifestyle.

He grew up two minutes from Melwood, joined the club at the age of six and left his house in West Derby which went around the old training complex at the age of 17.

Players know that coveting something new is not always reflected in thinking that it is better.

Regarding Alexander -Arnold, all parties – including real – have clearly indicated that the decision is not motivated by money.

The real one, as always, was confident to obtain their target. Alexander-Arnold, as was the case all season, was very interested in spending it, but his goal was still focused on the delivery of silverware.

He will know better than most than if he leaves Liverpool on a free, given the position of the club for the moment, his local heritage will be soiled.

In Alexander-Arnold’s own words: “There is a difference in this place. People who are not Liverpool probably think we are exaggerated, but it is because we are really passionate about the things we love. We are united on important questions and we are fighting for what we believe with everything we have.”