The Liverpool exit from Trent Alexander-Arnold has turned out to be nothing, if not divided, with the entire back that is generally expected to join Real Madrid, but now Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger has had his say.
Alexander-Arnold officially made the news that the entire season was reported on Monday, which showed that he will leave his boys' club for a new challenge this summer.
During his time in the club, The Right Back twice won the Premier League, the Champions League, FA and Carabao Cups, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Mail Sport understands that Alexander-Arnold is set up for a five-year-old deal with the Spanish giants, where he becomes a member of the teammate of England and friend Jude Bellingham.
Real Madrid had in fact approached Liverpool only a few hours after Alexander-Arnold, placed his emotional farewell video about him to the Bernabeu for the club's World Cup.
Now, however, Wenger has claimed that the aim of the Spanish giants to the defender may have taken place a little earlier than many fans had thought.
'I believe it shows a new trend in the game that there is no transfer [fee]For the big major players; They all go at the end of their contract because the wages are so high.
'If you want to buy Marcel [Desailly] Now you have to pay him so much money that you can no longer pay the transfer costs, so what do they do?
“They say two years before the end of a contract:” We want to buy you, we give you these wages, and we will try to make an offer. If it doesn't work, we'll come back next year and if it doesn't work, we will take it for free “, it is what they are with [Kylian] Mbappe.
“Real Madrid approached Alexander-Arnold long, long ago.”
When asked whether there was a problem with the timing of the Alexander-Arnold movement, Wenger ruled this and insisted that it came after the end of the Liverpool season.
“Not really because the season is over for him and in general I believe that the timing is good because Liverpool is the champions that they don't go for another trophy, so that they don't go for anything,” he added.
'It gives Liverpool the time to get another defender. It will be difficult to replace because he was a creative full back. '
The 26-year-old confirmed on Monday that he would sign for the Spanish giants when his deal runs out at the end of June.
It brought an end to a saga that had stretched for a large part of the season with Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, all who are out of contract this summer.
Salah and Van Dijk, however, would both continue with PEN conditions, but Alexander-Arnold will now start a new chapter.
He has long been associated with a move to Real Madrid, who made an approach in January to take him to the Bernabeu, but the Spanish giants like to take another step.
Madrid wants the English international in their team before the club World Cup where their opening fixture is against Al Hilal in Miami on 18 June.
No figures have yet been mentioned or even driven in discussions between clubs, although it is understood that Madrid wants to offer around £ 850,000.
The first contacts were just Madrid who signaled an intention to ask.
His current deal in Liverpool ends on 30 June, with competition in the United States starting earlier in the month.