TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD admitted “people won’t be happy” about his decision to leave Liverpool.
The Liverpool right-back, 26, confirmed on Monday morning he will walk away from his boyhood club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The announcement came a week after he helped secure a second Premier League title for the Reds against Tottenham.
Alexander-Arnold also won the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup after making his professional debut for Liverpool in 2016, aged 18.
But after Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk decided to stay at Anfield and sign new contracts, Alexander-Arnold feels now is the time for a new challenge.
However, he acknowledged that will not go down well with some.
The defender – who joined Liverpool aged six – said: “I know the news will take a bit of time to set in and people won’t be happy and they’ll be disappointed.
“At the end of the day, you can be angry and hurt at me.
“But I just hope that the lads, the rest of the team, the staff, everyone else is able to feel how good a season this has been and able to feel the love and support from the fans as they have done all season.
“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. So, I understand that.
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“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.”
Much of the season has been spent with questions swirling over Alexander-Arnold’s future.
Real Madrid considered trying to sign him in January.
But he decided to stay put to see out the campaign and bows out with another Premier League winner’s medal.
He confessed there was “one hundred per cent a massive possibility” that he ended up signing a new deal at Anfield to continue working under Arne Slot.
Now, though, Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to sign for Los Blancos, with reports he has already agreed a five-year contract worth £240,000 per week at the Bernabeu.
For now, though, he revealed that confirming his exit feels like a “weight lifted”.
Alexander-Arnold added: “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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Liverpool, though, released a blunt statement to announce the news of their local star’s departure.
The club said: “Trent Alexander-Arnold has informed Liverpool FC of his intention to leave the club this summer upon the expiry of his current contract.
“The 26-year-old will bring his two-decade-long association with the Reds to an end having made the decision to depart Anfield once his deal ceases on June 30, 2025…
“Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool’s Academy at the age of six and progressed through the ranks at youth level before making his senior debut in 2016.
“He has gone on to make 352 appearances for the Reds to date, scoring 23 goals and lifting eight major honours, including this season’s Premier League title…
“Alexander-Arnold will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for his contribution during a sustained period of success.”
Despite the possible slightly acrimonious separation, Alexander-Arnold insists he still loves the club and the city – and hopes one day to bring his kids to Anfield.
The 33-cap England man continued: “It’s very emotional for me because the club, the city, the fans, the people have given me things that I could never have dreamt of in my wildest dreams.
“I’ll never forget it and I can’t thank everyone enough for the support, the belief, the amazing moments we’ve had.
“Even though I’m leaving as player, as a fan I’ll always be a Liverpool fan.
“The love I have for this club will never leave, it will never diminish. I will love it forever.
“There’s no doubt about it, I’ll be back – I’d love one day to be able to bring my kids to Anfield and show them that that’s where I’ve played and show them the videos and highlights of what we were able to achieve together.”
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Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool exit interview
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD spoke to Liverpool’s in-house club media to explain his decision to leave Anfield.
Here are the key parts…
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.
Obviously there’s been a lot of noise around what the decision was going to be and how that was going to look. 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.
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… it was never about not having confidence in that, it just boiled down to what I felt I needed, and that is a change.
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.
I fell in love with the club from a very, very young age and that’s something that has grown and grown day in, day out. This club has given me the opportunities to achieve everything beyond my wildest dreams. I can never repay enough of what’s been given to me and I don’t take it for granted at all. I’ve given everything every single day for 20 years now. I’ve sacrificed everything.
I know the news will take a bit of time to set in and people won’t be happy and they’ll be disappointed. At the end of the day, you can be angry and hurt at me but I just hope that the lads, the rest of the team, the staff, everyone else is able to feel how good a season this has been and able to feel the love and support from the fans as they have done all season.
There’s no doubt about it, I’ll be back – I’d love one day to be able to bring my kids to Anfield and show them that that’s where I’ve played and show them the videos and highlights of what we were able to achieve together. So just a huge thank you for that, thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me. Thank you for the support, thank you for the love that I’ve always felt, thank you for always having my back. I will always love the club, I will always love the people of the club, I will always love the fans and the supporters. Even though I’m leaving as player, as a fan I’ll always be a Liverpool fan.
