Trent Alexander-Arnold was just 'a normal boy from Liverpool, whose dream came true'. This is why his expected step to Real Madrid is a nightmare for his local legacy …
In March 2017, Trent Alexander-Arnold was ready for his first external interview as a Liverpool player and the infinitely more hyped Ben Woodburn, who had broken the record of Michael Owen to become the youngest goal scorer of the club, received a taste of media passes next to him.
The location was a room just outside the reception on the old Melwood campus, and before the couple arrived, a member of the back room team put his head through the door and told this reporter: “You will talk today with a future Liverpool captain -and no, it is not the one who pulled the headlines.”
The natural leadership power of Alexander-Arnold jumped out in that exercise: he was insured, sent the interview, then Woodburn took a challenge to answer and praised his teammate; Describe in detail why that moment of history – high in the roof of the net before the head to beat the record of Owen with 98 days – was no coincidence.
It was clear that Melwood left that day that Alexander-Arnold, a striker that was converted into a controlling midfielder and newly reused as a right back, would become a fixture in the first Liverpool team.
His deposit and goal was noticeable that even Jurgen Klopp invoiced him privately as a future symbol of what the club represents.
Two years later, Alexander-Arnold started his first documentary style function. He was 20, freshly taken out of euphoria, and to be the youngest starter in successive European cup final.
The local boy had grown in shape and status and dropped sound bites that were too reluctant to vote his senior colleagues while walking past the beautiful stone stones three bones of the city – the royal liver building, the Cunard building and the port of Liverpool – surprisingly, for the first time.
“We are a world-class team,” offered Alexander-Arnold with the scouse characteristics of resistance and forefinery. “We should not be afraid to say that.”
Liverpool ran that speech and added a sixth European cup after turning a 97-point competition season. Their right back was, according to the description of Klopp, “one of the most ruthless professionals I met” and “the embodiment of sentiment” We will never stop. “
As part of the celebrations of winning the Champions League, the Anfield Wrap – an award -winning fan production – gave a wall painting a minute's walk from the club's stadium.
In his shadow there was a new light for the community when an empty wall on Sybil Road turned into a message of inspiration and a call for action. The faded brown brick was covered by a gigantic painting by Alexander-Arnold that celebrated the triumph in addition to the words: “I am just a normal boy from Liverpool, whose dream has just come true.”
“For fans who support Foodbanks,” was the stamp next to the artwork, which reminds people to donate on match days.
“This is not just a celebration of a football player, it is a celebration of a person who represents his community so well, whose values resonate with us as fans, and so it was important that a cause within the community benefited,” explained Craig Hannan of the Anfield Wrap.
Alexander-Arnold attended the revelation of the mural and insisted on donations for the food banks.
Liverpool – the club, the city, the fan base – were grabbed by the scouser in their team. Alexander-Arnold has continued to help the MerseSiders win every trophy, including the termination of a 30-year waiting for the league title, with his brand rooted in the concept of Liverpudlian.
That is why, with Magic English League Title No. 20 in the grip of the club and Real Madrid, it is insisting to complete a deal for him as a free agent, the power of sentiment around the full-back is so bright.
In the eyes of a large series of fans, he is ready to leave his boys' club, which is well prepared for domestic and European awards, for nothing after he used his scousness.
They hold on to these quotes …
“Looking back on this era, although City has won more titles than we have been and probably have been more successful, our trophies will mean more to us and our fan base because of the situations in both clubs, financially.”
“I didn't want to play for people like Bayern Munich, I wanted to become a Liverpool player.”
“Playing for the club I love is more important than any position.”
“Everyone who owns my kit, everyone who owns a Liverpool – kit – I owe them something. I owe them my best. Because I am one of them. We are family.”
Alexander-Arnold would represent something else, something else if he signs for Madrid-Net as the slow expectation.
Liverpool, as a club, is more realistic about the situation.
There has been an acceptance that the Sagas contract – he, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah – have come from their own off -pack slowness, due to unrest at the level of sports director, and then the decision of Klopp to leave.
Liverpool not only opened the door for Real Madrid's charm offensive, they rolled out the red carpet and the Spanish giants liked to walk on it for two years before they had really been interested in their interest last summer.
The club has made Alexander-Arnold lucrative offers to stay, but they understand the attraction of a new challenge, a new life and lifestyle experience and the temptation to be a real player.
Liverpool has protected him and did not allowed any questions about his future because he struggled with what an emotionally charged decision is to make.
The club knows that it would be hypocritical, for example to be irritated by Alexander -Arnold who leaves for Madrid when a good offer would be accepted this summer for Harvey Elliott – a player who struck the colossus because he wanted to call Anfield his home country.
It was also no problem for them to try to seduce Martin Zubimendi from his Boyhood Club Real Sociedad.
And of course there is the live saga from Salah and Van Dijk: both are desperate to stay and sign new contracts, but there has been no breakthrough.
Loyalty in football is an ideal that is applied to players, but not held on clubs.
It would largely explain why changing rooms are unmoved in situations such as this. The Liverpool team understands, just like the club, the position of Alexander-Arnold and that it is not just about football, but about a different way of life.
He grew up two minutes from Melwood, joined the six -year -old club and only moved from his house in West Derby that the old training complex circled when he was 17.
Players know that desiring something new does not always translate by thinking that it is something better.
The situation of Alexander-Arnold will not affect what happens to Salah and Van Dijk, because all contract offers have been drawn up on individual merit, data and circumstances.
Optimism is still strong that the couple will remain.
With regard to Alexander -Arnold, all parties – including Real – made it very clear that every decision would not be driven by money.
They are also tailored to showing surprise about the stories that have arisen this week, given that nothing important has changed since January – no agreement has been reached, no deal has been signed, nor a conclusion has been communicated to both clubs.
Really, as always, there are faith in their goal. Alexander-Arnold, as the entire season has been, is very interested in making the switch to them, but his focus is aimed at supplying silverware.
He will know better than most of them that if he leaves Liverpool on a free, given the status of the club at the moment, his local legacy will be tainted.
In Alexander-Arnold's own words: “There is a difference for this place. People who do not come from Liverpool probably think we are exaggerated, but that is because we are really passionate about the things we love. We are united about important issues and we fight for what we believe with everything we have in.”
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