There are several reasons why Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to leave Liverpool this summer.
Firstly, he has achieved virtually everything he can at Anfield – and if he signs off with a Treble this season then it will definitely be a case of 'job done'.
Secondly, the lure of Real Madrid is a temptation that few players can ever resist. They are the biggest and most famous club in the world.
But there is another reason that could play a role in his decision-making, and that is the pressure placed on a hometown player, which can be extreme.
I experienced that in a completely different way when I joined Birmingham City, the club I had always supported.
I was 33 at the time, towards the end of my career, and the club was in shambles at the time, so it's very different for Trent at both levels.
But in an age where the 'local hero' has become a rarity, the added pressure can be quite difficult.
When you play for your local club, everyone in the fanbase thinks they know you.
Everyone thinks you should care more than the rest of the players – and in a way you do.
Many supporters will have played Sunday football against you as a child, gone to school with you, or they know someone in your family.
FOOTBALL FREE BETTS AND SIGN UP DEALS
Or they see you in Asda and want to give you advice, or want to know what's going on.
When I was in Birmingham, my mother went to work and every day someone would say to her, “Tell Troy, Blues has to do this or that,” and she would respond, “I haven't told him what to do since he was fifteen.” doing! '
And heaven help you if you go out on a Saturday evening after a defeat, even to a subdued family, without alcohol.
That's sacrilege when you play for your own club.
For Trent, these problems will be exacerbated at a club as big as Liverpool.
Don't get me wrong, playing for – and especially as skipper – the club I support was one of the absolute highlights of my career.
It was right up there with reaching the FA Cup final and spending five years as Premier League captain.
Managing the Blues at St. Andrew's was what most made the little boy in my head say, 'Wow, how did we get here? This is epic'.
It was a huge privilege, but being the local boy takes its toll.
That will be another factor for Trent, who spent nine years as a first-team player at Anfield and has been the club's most prominent Scouser for almost all that time.
Strangely enough, if he signs for Real, he will experience less pressure because he won't be a megastar like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. or Jude Bellingham.
And he won't be the local boy. He can just concentrate on being an excellent right-back.
Trent, who is out of contract this summer, is already being criticized by supporters for not signing a new contract – at a level that wouldn't exist if he wasn't a Liverpool boy.
This is unfair to me – and as a player I struggled to fully understand it – but it is a phenomenon that certainly exists.
I don't think the idea of reaching full legendary status at a club is a factor among modern players as it may have been in the past.
While Steven Gerrard managed that at Anfield, he once handed in a transfer request because he wanted to move to Chelsea before signing a new contract with the Reds.
And Steve McManaman is a Liverpool boy who has made the move to the Bernabéu and that has not damaged his legacy on Merseyside as he is considered a great at both clubs after winning two European Cups with the Spanish side.
I don't think Trent's move will be implemented this month, despite Real having come up with an approach, because it wouldn't really suit either side.
Liverpool need him as they compete on four fronts, while Trent could be free at the end of the season, earning him a higher signing-on fee.
'DOUBLE SIDED SWORD'
Real is now taking action to protect itself against other major interests from Saudi Arabia.
Trent will remain fully committed to the club for the rest of the season, even as he continues to build his career at Anfield.
Every other player in the dressing room will understand that Trent – like Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk – is either keeping his options open or preferring another challenge elsewhere.
But being a hometown hero can be a double-edged sword.
The best thing for Trent would be to parade the Premier League trophy at Anfield – perhaps along with two or three more pieces of silverware – and then head out into the Spanish sun.
RUBEN TIME TO WATCH AND LEARN
IF Manchester United can avoid a six-goal defeat at Anfield on Sunday it would be quite an effort.
That's how bad it is at Old Trafford, and how good it is for runaway Prem leaders Liverpool at the moment.
I think it's a blessing in disguise for Ruben Amorim that United are having such a poor run early in his reign.
He will learn so much about his players' characters and their abilities and will be able to make good judgments about who he wants in the future.
If United had achieved a few more decent results after winning the Manchester derby, it would have only covered the cracks and made it harder for Amorim to make those decisions.
He is very honest about the situation and I think the club needs to hit rock bottom – something they are close to but haven't done yet.
United should flog Casemiro to Saudi Arabia and end the Marcus Rashford saga by letting him go this month, while bringing in two or three players to add the energy and desire that Amorim needs.
But only after a full preseason and a busy summer full of ins and outs can we properly assess Amorim.
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