Alexander-Arnold ignores Jurgen Klopp warning as Real Madrid transfer 'settled'

Liverpool are braced for bad news over the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is said to have agreed to join Real Madrid when his contract at Anfield expires this summer

After months of speculation and hear-say, it looks as though it's happening: Real Madrid are closing in on the capture of Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the right-back poised to leave Liverpool on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Talk over what may come next for Alexander-Arnold, 26, has been rife all season. It has been well documented that Real are long-term admirers of the England star, whose contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

Even during what has been a dream campaign for the Reds, who are poised to win the Premier League title in Arne Slot's first year at the helm, Real Madrid's interest in Alexander-Arnold has hung over them.

Alexander-Arnold has grown into one of Liverpool's most influential players since progressing through the academy ranks, becoming vice-captain of the team last year.

As such, Sky Sport Switzerland's report claiming that Alexander-Arnold's future has now been 'settled' will come as a major blow to Slot, who has been consistent in saying that he would like to keep Alexander-Arnold at the club alongside Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

But another figure who will be sad to see Alexander-Arnold depart Anfield is Jurgen Klopp, who gave the defender his chance in the first-team.

Klopp departed Anfield last summer after a fruitful nine-year spell on Merseyside. During that period, he managed plenty of fine players, some of whom departed on his watch. But it was the German's words in the aftermath of Philippe Coutinho's transfer to Barcelona which have stuck in the memory for some fans.

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"I told him to stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honour," Klopp revealed shortly after the deal was concluded back in 2018. "Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more."

While Coutinho's move to Barcelona ultimately turned out to be a failure, few would back Alexander-Arnold's prospective move to the Bernabeu to play out in a similar way.

But Klopp's words may once again resonate given the affiliation Alexander-Arnold has with Liverpool as a club. A boyhood Reds fan, Alexander-Arnold joined the academy at the age of six has gone on to amass just shy of 350 appearances.

But with multiple reports claiming Alexander-Arnold has now 'agreed' a five-year contract with Real Madrid, his 20-plus year chapter with the Reds appears to be drawing to a close.

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