The life of a footballer within the game can feel incredibly short.
With that in mind, one could begin to understand the mechanics behind Trent Alexander-Arnold’s head being turned by a potential switch to Real Madrid.
The generational fullback has “completed it” at Liverpool Football Club, including playing a pivotal role in bringing the league title back to Anfield after a 30-year hiatus.
Fans will, of course, rightly argue he’s yet to achieve such feats with the captain’s armband – a consideration that was once of apparent value to the No.66.
“I have always said I want to captain the club. That is a goal of mine, whether that happens is out of my hands,” Alexander-Arnold was quoted by Sky Sports back in September.
That may remain one of many ambitions for the right-back, though it would now seem that other individualistic considerations could determine his long-term future in the game.
Football finance expert Mo Chatra has weighed in on the ongoing question of our vice captain’s Liverpool future on X (formerly Twitter).
The somewhat depressing suggestion was made that the potential financials of a deal taking the footballer to the Spanish capital, once his contract runs its course in the summer of 2025, could prove decisive.
If he joins Madrid with no transfer fee, his signing-on fee would be huge. Add that to weekly wages and he'd be set to earn £600k or more per week for the duration of his contract.
IF he joins Madrid, that would be a big determining factor for he and his brother/agent.
— Mo Chatra (@MoChatra) December 31, 2024
Another factor to consider in the Trent contract situation is that his agent brother, Tyler Alexander-Arnold, would stand to pocket significantly more money by brokering a deal with Madrid than by negotiating a contract extension with Liverpool.
— Mo Chatra (@MoChatra) December 31, 2024
We don’t want to be overly romantic about the situation – we completely appreciate these are real people with very understandable desires and motivations.
Why shouldn’t Trent Alexander-Arnold wish to try out work and life in another country and at another club as prestigious as Real Madrid?
Why shouldn’t he and his entourage be tempted by the prospect of even greater financial reward?
It seems crude to consider, but it’s an unavoidable truth.
From a fan standpoint, of course, an exit via free transfer, when Liverpool would surely benefit from a short contract extension (to prompt a respectable bid from Los Blancos), would leave a bitter taste.
There’s a way of going about things that would, at the very least, leave all parties involved with as much dignity as possible.
Until the point of an agreement, however, it’s worth noting that Trent’s future is yet to be written. There’s still time for Liverpool to offer the best possible financial package in the hopes of keeping our star Academy graduate on the red half of Merseyside.
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