Trent Alexander-Arnold confirms he will leave Liverpool at end of season amid Real Madrid transfer links - 'The hardest decision I've ever made'
Updated 05/05/2025 at 13:00 GMT+1
Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season once his contract has expired. The defender, who made his debut in October 2016, has represented the club on 352 occasions and contributed to 115 goals from right-back. The Premier League and UEFA Champions League winner is expected to join England team-mate Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid on a free transfer.
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Two-time Premier League champion Trent Alexander-Arnold will call time on his Liverpool career at the end of the 2024/25 season.
The England international took to social media to break the news on Monday, and according to reports, is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer.
Alexander-Arnold has played 352 matches for Liverpool so far and racked up an impressive 23 goals and 92 assists across all competitions, predominantly from right-back.
On his impending departure, the 26-year-old said: "I think first and foremost, I want to say it’s not an easy decision and there’s a lot of thought and feeling that has gone into it.
"I’ve been here 20 years now, loved every single minute of it, achieved all my dreams, achieved everything I’ve ever wanted to here.
"Giving everything day in, day out for 20 years, I’ve got to a point now where I feel like I need a change, a new challenge for me as a player and as a person. And I think now is the right time for me to do that."
Alexander-Arnold has played a pivotal role in winning eight trophies while on Merseyside, including two Premier League crowns, the club's historic sixth UEFA Champions League, as well as an FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Community Shield.
After nearly a decade in red, the player's contract will expire at the end of the current season and after a long-winded saga as to whether he will sign a new deal or not, Alexander-Arnold has been open and honest about his decision.
"Obviously there’s been a lot of noise around what the decision was going to be and how that was going to look," he told the Liverpool website.
"I know a lot of people will say I should have said sooner, a lot of people will say maybe I waited for the right time. But I felt personally the focus should always be on the pitch, should always be about the football.
"When we were in a title race and trying to push for trophies, it’s about making the right decision for the team and trying not to distract the team and take away from what we’re doing on the pitch.
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"For me, it was always to do it after the season was kind of done; not so much the final game but when there was nothing else really to play for.
"Now that we’ve won the league and we’ve been able to celebrate it and celebrate such an amazing achievement, I felt like now is the right time to get it off my chest and tell the fans the truth, and now is that time."
New deal was 'massive possibility'
Alexander-Arnold has also admitted that he wrestled with the idea of staying at Anfield and continuing his legacy.
He said that remaining at Liverpool under Arne Slot was "100%" on the table, but ultimately, he has opted for a fresh challenge elsewhere.
"I’ve got full confidence in the manager and the staff and the club going forward," he explained.
"It’s not about me thinking we’re not going to fight for titles or fight for trophies season in, season out, because I knew from the first few moments with the manager that he was a winner, he was aiming to go and win things. And you’ve seen that this season with the way that we’ve played.
"So it was never about not having confidence in that, it just boiled down to what I felt I needed, and that is a change. That’s something I need to do on my personal journey as a person, but also as a player and a professional, to go and challenge myself elsewhere.
"I feel like a challenge in a different environment is something I need to do as a player."
As expected, the news has not gone down well with all Liverpool fans. However, local hero Alexander-Arnold "completely understands" the frustrations around the situation.
"I’ve been a fan of this club my whole life, it has given me the opportunity to go and do everything I’ve done, to achieve everything," he said.
"So, I understand that. Growing up, seeing players leave that I’ve loved watching and have helped the team win trophies, you feel a connection to the players that you watch, especially when they bring success to the club as well.
"So, I completely understand the feelings that go with that and I’ve felt it myself so I completely understand that the news will disappoint a lot of people, will anger people, it will make them upset.
"Obviously that went into the decision as well – it’s something you don’t want to do, you don’t want to ever have these moments where you feel like you’re letting a lot of people down, you’re disappointing a lot of people.
"But I’ve had to make a decision for me, it’s as simple as that. It’s a difficult one, it’s one that has played on my mind for a long time but being able now to get it off my chest will feel like a weight is lifted.
"And I think it’s important for the fans to know where I stand and know what the truth is."
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