The Premier League title celebrations just got a little bittersweet for Liverpool, as Trent Alexander-Arnold confirmed his intention to leave the Reds to sign for Real Madrid after the end of the current season. The Englishman rejected a million-dollar contract to remain with the reigning English champions and opted to join a team in crisis under Carlo Ancelotti. It's worth remembering that there has been speculation for months that Alexander-Arnold was negotiating with Real Madrid in the last transfer window, but the Spanish club chose not to go ahead with the signing until his current contract expired. In other words, they secured another free signing in their history, without having to pay millions of euros. Liverpool will need more attention in the transfer market.
The full-back was directly responsible for structuring the defensive system under Jurgen Klopp and has continued his high-level activities this season alongside Arne Slot. Alexander-Arnold arrived at Liverpool at the age of six and took over as vice-captain in 2023. In all, he made 349 appearances and won seven trophies. Alexander-Arnold's departure creates a considerable need for Liverpool to go into the transfer market and look for a new full-back who has the same characteristics of positioning without the ball, combativeness, and efficiency in marking that Alexander-Arnold demonstrated. It won't be an easy mission to replace an excellent and reliable player.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid can only celebrate this impact signing, which will be key to strengthening their defensive system, one of the biggest problems in an unstable 2024/25 season, largely due to injuries to key players in the sector. Carlo Ancelotti has had to resort to home-grown solutions to deal with the shortcomings since the beginning of January. Finally, the new Real Madrid coach (assuming Ancelotti leaves) will need to rethink his starting line-up and find a solution to fit Alexander-Arnold alongside Mbappe, Vini, and Rodrygo, probably having to make a concession in midfield.
During the March international break of 2025, Trent Alexander-Arnold informed Arne Slot that he would leave Liverpool when his contract expired at the end of the season. He explained how he felt at this stage of his career that he needed to step out of his comfort zone and pursue a new challenge. Slot expressed his disappointment but said he respected his vice-captain’s decision. “You’re a huge part of this team and let’s end it on a high together,” Slot told him. Having been reassured that the head coach still wanted him to feature once he was fit as Liverpool closed in on Premier League title glory, Alexander-Arnold replied: “My mindset and commitment won’t change. I’ll continue to give everything for this club until the final day.”
It was around the same time in March that Alexander-Arnold’s representative formally notified Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes that he wouldn’t be signing a new contract at Anfield. There was little sense of surprise at the club given talks over an extension had effectively ended earlier that month, with Alexander-Arnold then taking some time to reach a final decision. He was determined to keep the news under wraps until after the title had been won to avoid creating any unwanted distractions for the team. Now, eight days after the wild celebrations at Anfield that followed the 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham, there is official confirmation of his impending exit.
Both out of respect to Liverpool and the fact that a long-term contract with Real Madrid is not yet signed and sealed, Alexander-Arnold has not confirmed his destination, but he is set to grace the Bernabeu next season. It ends a 20-year association with Liverpool, dating back to when he first joined the academy at the age of six. He lived his dream as he clocked up over 350 appearances and won the Champions League, two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Club World Cup, but now an emotional goodbye beckons.
The Athletic has spoken to multiple sources with knowledge of Alexander-Arnold’s situation, on the condition of anonymity to protect their positions, in an effort to answer the key questions surrounding his decision to depart. How did Liverpool and their owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), find themselves in a position where one of their most valuable assets will be leaving for nothing at the peak of his powers? When did Real Madrid’s charm offensive start in earnest? And, ultimately, why did Alexander-Arnold decide to leave?
The summer of 2023 was significant. It was the first time in his professional career that Alexander-Arnold had entered the final two years of his contract. He had previously penned extensions in July 2017, January 2019, and July 2021, with Liverpool regularly rewarding his development and growing importance to the side with improved terms. Having been appointed vice-captain by Jurgen Klopp following the departure of James Milner, he had expected Liverpool to open talks before the start of the 2023-24 season, but it didn’t happen.
There was major upheaval behind the scenes at Anfield. Julian Ward had stepped down as sporting director, just a year after succeeding Michael Edwards. Unable to find a suitable long-term successor, Liverpool gave the job to Jorg Schmadtke on an interim basis. The German executive was tempted out of retirement after being recommended by Klopp’s agent, Marc Kosicke.
Schmadtke described himself as Klopp’s “assistant” and his focus was on negotiating transfer deals as the club embarked on a midfield rebuild. Contract renewals took a back seat. Then, in November 2023, the situation was complicated by Klopp informing FSG president Mike Gordon that he had run out of energy and would be leaving at the end of the season. Once Klopp had announced the news publicly two months later, it was clear that everything would be on hold until there was clarity about the direction Liverpool were going in. No player was going to commit without knowing who was taking over and where he stood in his plans.
With Gordon keen to take a step back himself, he managed to convince Edwards to return to the fold with greater responsibility, as FSG’s CEO of football in March 2024, and his first task was to bring in Hughes from Bournemouth as sporting director. Hughes’ initial priority was leading the search for Klopp’s replacement, with Slot recruited from Feyenoord. However, Hughes’ first call in the job had actually been to Alexander-Arnold’s camp to introduce himself and in late April last year talks over a new contract were initiated, with an opening offer made before the end of that month.
The England international understood the circumstances behind why it had taken Liverpool so long to come to the table, but as he approached his final year, he privately started to wonder whether the 2024-25 season could be his last for the club. Interest from Real Madrid was already well known and he questioned how strongly Liverpool really wanted to keep him. Those concerns were allayed in the months that followed by the subsequent offers that Hughes made. It would have made Alexander-Arnold the highest paid full-back in the Premier League and one of the highest in world football, but by then, Alexander-Arnold was already considering the prospect of moving to Spain.
“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. This one won’t be either,” Alexander-Arnold told reporters following Liverpool’s 3-0 home win over Bournemouth in September. Pushed on whether he wanted to stay at Anfield, he added: “I want to be a Liverpool player this season (as a minimum) is what I will say.” It was the first and final time Alexander-Arnold stopped in a media mixed zone all season. When he conducted interviews with TV rights holders, the topic was off-limits. He kept his counsel as the speculation around his future cranked up. He didn’t want to add fuel to the fire, even if that meant allowing others to fill the void with inaccurate information.
Privately, he was wrestling with the biggest decision of his life. It was made more difficult by the close relationship he had quickly established with Slot. He loved the new head coach’s meticulous planning and attention to detail. Alexander-Arnold regards him as a genius and a perfectionist, who has helped take the defensive side of his game to the next level. “I want you to be harsh on me,” Alexander-Arnold told Slot as they sat together at Kirkby to analyse his performances during the early weeks of the season. It was clear to him that Liverpool would be serious contenders for the biggest prizes with Slot at the helm.
It helped Alexander-Arnold that there was also so much noise for most of the season surrounding the futures of team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, who both ultimately ended up penning two-year extensions in April. What cut deep was when he heard or read his commitment being questioned, with suggestions that ‘his head was already in Spain’. It reached a crescendo in the build-up to the visit of rivals Manchester United to Anfield on January 5. The player had responded to reports in the Spanish media that he had already given Real Madrid his word that he would join them by making a talking gesture when celebrating scoring in the 5-0 rout of West Ham United.
Then, on December 30, Liverpool officially rejected an approach from Real Madrid, who wanted to buy him in the January window. It was unsolicited and prior to the January 1 date when they were allowed to speak with the player. Sources in Spain indicated they were willing to pay around £20 million rather than wait six months to land him on a free transfer, but no figures were discussed during a brief exchange. Edwards and Hughes vowed to keep the squad together for the rest of the season and knew Alexander-Arnold’s value to them was much greater with Slot’s side still competing on four fronts.
Liverpool had also snubbed strong interest from Saudi Pro League outfit Al Nassr in striker Darwin Nunez. On January 18 there was a sense of vindication internally when Alexander-Arnold created the opening goal for Nunez in a dramatic win at Brentford. On the same day, rivals Arsenal threw away a 2-0 lead against Aston Villa as Slot’s side strengthened their grip on the title race.
Alexander-Arnold was hurt by accusations that he had actively encouraged the late December approach. He knew Real Madrid had a crisis at right-back following the knee injury suffered by Dani Carvajal in October and that they wanted to secure his services, but he was never looking to leave mid-season. He only learned a few minutes before it emerged in the UK media on New Year’s Eve that an approach had been received and rejected. At the time, he was still in active contract talks with Liverpool and hadn’t made his mind up about his future.
All the criticism affected him against Manchester United. He made a number of mistakes and bore the brunt of the Anfield crowd’s frustration during the 2-2 draw. He was grateful for Slot’s support — both publicly and privately — during a difficult period and the reception he got from the away end when he came on against Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final in London three days later lifted his spirits. He then captained Liverpool and scored in the FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley. There was an ovation when he was replaced by Conor Bradley in the second half.
Real Madrid had long since been keeping close tabs on Alexander-Arnold’s contract situation and had been confident of securing his signature since November. They have made a habit in recent years of signing up some of European football’s finest talent on free transfers, including Kylian Mbappe, David Alaba, and Antonio Rudiger, and the process is well-established. Chief scout Juni Calafat is always tasked with forging strong links with a target and establishing a player’s willingness to move before general manager Jose Angel Sanchez steps in and leads negotiations, with all major decisions needing the green light from club president Florentino Perez.
After Carvajal ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Villarreal, the Madrid board decided that Alexander-Arnold was their top target as they sought to recruit a right-back. With Carvajal turning 33 in January, they were already looking for a long-term successor, but suddenly faced with a gaping void in the team, they wanted Alexander-Arnold as soon as possible. In January, a source close to coach Carlo Ancelotti told The Athletic: “What I know is that without a right-back, it is impossible to win the Champions League.” Senior figures at Real Madrid thought with Liverpool so far ahead domestically and with an impressive deputy in Bradley, the Premier League leaders might be open to pocketing a fee rather than losing him for nothing in the summer. But they were mistaken and Madrid’s approach was instantly rejected.
With Liverpool steadfast in their desire to keep Alexander-Arnold for the rest of the season, Madrid’s focus shifted back to signing him as a free agent. They explained the sporting and economic project in detail and asked him not to renew his contract on Merseyside. There was growing certainty in the Spanish capital that they would get their man, and by March, Ancelotti and other senior figures at the club’s Valdebebas training facility had been informed by the board that the deal was as good as done. Slot continued to pick Alexander-Arnold because his attitude did not waver and he did not want to deprive himself of such a creative force. The head coach knew the lengths to which Alexander-Arnold had gone to make himself available. He had played for Liverpool with the aid of painkilling injections after suffering a side strain for England against Finland back in October. He then worked tirelessly during his rehab to get back ahead of schedule after damaging his ankle against PSG in mid-March. That is why there was such an outpouring of emotion when he scored the winner on his comeback away at Leicester City on April 20. Through actions rather than words, he wanted to prove that he was still devoted to securing the club’s 20th top-flight crown.
“Let the headlines be his great goal and not his contract situation,” Slot told reporters post-match. “It would be ridiculous if someone argues about his commitment to his club.” Fellow home-grown players Steve McManaman and Michael Owen had previously left Anfield for Real Madrid in search of glory, but Alexander-Arnold’s situation is different given the runaway title triumph under Slot. So why leave? He feels like he has achieved everything he set out to do at Liverpool. At the age of 26, he decided the time was right to test himself in a new environment. Earlier this season, he spoke about wanting to become the first full-back to win the Ballon d’Or and he believes a fresh challenge can help unlock his full potential. He wants to experience living and playing in Madrid and having to prove himself all over again. The settling-in process should be helped by his close friendship with Jude Bellingham.
His status as a free agent means there will be a hefty signing-on fee, but money was never going to be the motivating factor for Alexander-Arnold. If it was, then from January 1 onwards, he would have invited offers from across Europe and considered interest from the Premier League. Ultimately, it did not matter what Liverpool offered him financially. Another £5m a year would have changed nothing and there’s little sense of bitterness or resentment on either side. There is respect for Hughes, who inherited a tricky situation a year ago and did everything he could to convince him to stay. From Liverpool’s perspective, the protracted negotiations were cordial and constructive, but it became increasingly clear that an agreement could not be reached. They could not give him what he wanted — a fresh challenge.
Alexander-Arnold, who holds the record for most Premier League assists by a defender, on 64, was fully immersed in the celebrations on the field after the emphatic victory over Tottenham at Anfield that wrapped up the title. He stepped forward to be serenaded by the Kop as they chanted about “the Scouser in our team”. He stood in front of the supporters with his arms outstretched before tapping his heart. There was some speculation that the scenes might lead to a dramatic U-turn, but for Alexander-Arnold, it was the perfect ending. Later that evening, there was a warm exchange with Liverpool’s principal owner, John W. Henry. “You’ve been an amazing player for this team and I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve given to this club,” Henry told him. “It’s disappointing to see you go, but I wish you well for the future.” Alexander-Arnold replied: “Thank you for everything, it’s been a pleasure.” A couple of streets away, on the corner of Sybil Road, there’s a giant mural of Alexander-Arnold on the wall, accompanied by the quote: “I’m just a normal lad from Liverpool whose dream has just come true.” He had uttered those words after the Champions League final victory over Tottenham in Madrid in 2019. Now his story will continue in the Spanish capital.
