Trent Alexander-Arnold: Liverpool star wants Jurgen Klopp to get 'send off he deserves' after 'shock' exit

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold admits he could not believe it when Jurgen Klopp announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

Last month, Klopp made the shock announcement that this will be his final campaign in charge of the Merseyside club.

He first took the reins following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers in 2015, and has gone on to win the Premier League and Champions League.

Alexander-Arnold, who made his debut a year after his arrival, has been a linchpin of the Klopp revolution at Anfield, and says he was taken aback when he was told the news.

"I was as shocked as anyone else, if not more," he told BBC Sport. "It was a huge surprise to all of us, one that is obviously not nice.

"But it's a personal decision that he's taken. You've got to respect it.

"I've loved absolutely every minute working with him. I can't wait to finish the season. I'm excited to see what memories we can keep going on to make."

Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League, although their title ambitions were rocked by a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

They are still competing for four competitions though, having reached the UEFA Europa League knock-out stages, fifth round of the FA Cup and the final of the Carabao Cup, where they will take on Chelsea at Wembley later this month.

Alexander-Arnold, who has just returned from a minor knee ligament injury, says Klopp's impending departure just provides further incentive to the squad to add to their glittering trophy haul of recent years.

"Cruising round Liverpool in an open top bus is the fairytale ending," he continued. "For us as players, that's our motivation.

"That was our motivation at the start of the season and that's our motivation now, even more so, to give the manager the send off he deserves and he's earned.

"That's what our aim is. To go around Liverpool on an open top bus."

Liverpool will look to get back to winning ways when they return to Premier League action at Anfield against Burnley on Saturday.

They still sit two points clear in top spot, although second placed Manchester City are hot on their heals after defeating Brentford on Monday night, while Pep Guardiola's side also have a game in hand.

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