'I wish' - What John W. Henry has told Trent Alexander-Arnold about leaving Liverpool after Anfield talks
Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed that he will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Liverpool principal owner John W. Henry has wished Trent Alexander-Arnold well as he prepares to leave his boyhood club.
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The Reds vice-captain has confirmed he will depart his boyhood club when his contract expires at the end of the season. Alexander-Arnold has been at Liverpool for 20 years and has come through the academy ranks to win every major trophy. This term, he helped the Reds claim the second Premier League title of his career.
But Liverpool have been unable to tie Alexander-Arnold down to a new deal despite being prepared to make him the highest-paid full-back in England. FSG supremo Henry was spotted talking to Alexander-Arnold after the Reds won the title last weekend following a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham. And according to The Athletic, further discussions were held in the evening.
“You’ve been an amazing player for this team and I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve given to this club,” Henry is quoted to have said. “It’s disappointing to see you go, but I wish you well for the future.”
Alexander-Arnold is expected to complete a free transfer to Real Madrid. The Spanish giants were prepared to pay £20 million for the England international in January but Liverpool rebuffed the enquiry as they were fighting on four fronts at the time.
Alexander-Arnold has insisted he considered committing his future to the Reds but wants a fresh challenge. He said: “One hundred per cent, a massive possibility. I’ve got full confidence in the manager and the staff and the club going forward.
“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.”