The decision of Trent Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool on a free transfer did not go well with supporters who have accused him of being unfaithful to his boys' club prior to an expected move to Real Madrid
Mohamed Salah has revealed that Trent Alexander -Arnold told him that he “wants to change and challenge himself” after he had decided to leave Liverpool – while defending his decision to leave Anfield. The English international will leave a free transfer this summer, with Real Madrid the likely destination.
The 26-year-old chose not to follow Salah and Virgil van Dijk by signing a new contract, in which fans came to Liverpool his decision about his decision and accused him of unfaithfulness to his boys' club.
Alexander-Arnold was booed by supporters while waiting to come as a replacement in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal as tensions grow over his exit.
But Salah jumped to the player's defense while he revealed a chat between them – insisting that it was “mentally” to stay in one club for two decades. Alexander-Arnold has been with the Merseyside outfit since he was six.
Speaking against Gary Neville, Salah told Sky Sports: “He has to change and challenge himself. People don't know anything about it, but he is in the club for 20 years. He spoke to me about it.
“It is mentally so difficult for someone to be in a club for 20 years. It is the place you love, yes. I love the place. But go to the same place every day, you can be depressed mentally.
“He is 26 years old and twice a competition title winner. What else did he do? I really wish him the best.”
Salah also defended Alexander-Arnold about the anger he encountered in Anfield last week, and insisted that “not how we act as Liverpool fans” because he emphasized, it did not deserve to be hunted.
“I think the fans were somehow hard against him,” he said. “I think he didn't deserve it at the time, he deserved the fans to treat him the best possible way because he gave it all to the fans.
I was surprised because this is not how we act as Liverpool fans. “We should not act in this way with someone who always appreciates the people who have even come here for six months.
“Imagine that someone has been giving you everything for 20 years. It should not be. I hope that the next game will change, against Brighton or in the last match of the season, because he deserves saying goodbye.”
Alexander -Arnold has been associated with a move to Real Madrid for a large part of the season and he is expected to join the La Liga Club, who wants it to be on board the club World Cup this summer – although this will be to pay the Reds a small fee.
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