Jamie Carragher believes that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s representatives knew Real Madrid would bid for the Liverpool star this month.
The right back was the subject of a £20million bid from the Spanish giants in the week as he enters the final six months of his contract at Anfield. Alexander-Arnold’s impressive displays this term have made it easy for Liverpool boss Arne Slot to insist that the defender is not distracted by the headlines.
But Sunday night’s performance against the Red Devils suggested a different story. The 26-year-old fell well below his usual best in an attacking sense and was poor defensively.
The display raised the question among the Sky pundits over whether the England international’s mind could be elsewhere. Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher even suggested that the player’s representative may have invited the untimely bid, while former United defender Gary Neville disagreed and ex-Reds striker Daniel Sturridge clashed with Carragher.
‘They will have known what was happening,’ said Carragher, referring to Alexander-Arnold’s representatives.
‘I’m not naive enough to think that Real Madrid would have put a bid in in January, for a player who they can get for nothing in four months.’
Trent Alexander-Arnold had a night to forget against Man United and was substituted late on
Jamie Carragher suggested that Alexander-Arnold and his camp would have been aware of Real Madrid’s bid this week, as his poor display led to Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Man United
Ex-Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge clashed with Carragher over the defender after the match
He added: ‘Do you seriously believe, when this bid comes in that they’re sat at home and see it on Sky Sports and say ‘wow!’’.
Neville said: ‘The bid from Real Madrid is bad timing for him. That won’t be an easy distraction. I thought it was insulting from Real Madrid. They’re not going to sell Trent for £20m in January. You can imagine that noise going on in his head before the game.’
Neville added: ‘He probably feels in this country he doesn’t get the respect he deserves. I’ve been critical of his defensive performances.
‘If anybody came in for me I’d never leave my club. That doesn’t mean I was right.’
In an often frenetic post-match discussion involving the pair as well as former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and United legend Roy Keane, Carragher said: ‘The disappointing thing for me – he could be the captain in two or three years – if I was in his position I’d want to put Liverpool above Man United on league titles.
‘It’s more just disappointment. I would love to have been playing for the best team in the league.’
Along with captain Virgil van Dijk and talisman Mohamed Salah, Alexander-Arnold is now able to sign a pre-contract with foreign clubs. Though, due in part to his silence on the matter, his future at Anfield is the most uncertain.
Sturridge, who played alongside the full back on Merseyside, empathised with his situation and insisted that he is not the kind of player who would let off field matters affect his performances.
The timing of Real Madrid’s bid, given they can sign the defender for free in the summer, has raised some eyebrows as Liverpool continue to push for the Premier League title
Alexander-Arnold is close friends with England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham
Liverpool supporters raised a banner in the Kop against the club’s owners over the trio of players
‘He’s a professional guy,’ the former striker said. ‘It’s not his personality to not be focused on the game – Trent can defend better but there were moments where he had no help too.
‘It’s a lose, lose either way. Everyone that’s involved in the football club should want him to stay. The club know Trent’s contract is running down.
‘His contract has six months left. None of the three of them should be in this predicament. We don’t know contracts have been offered and have been rejected. Jurgen leaving was a spanner in the works for everybody.
‘To leave these three players in a predicament like this.’
‘If he leaves the amount of games he’s played for Liverpool. Show a bit of class and say all the best to you,’ Keane added before conceding that his form must return to its usual standard for the Reds to clinch the title.
He said: ‘What could derail it is if he defends like that for the rest of the season. You’ve got to defend better.’
Liverpool supporters made their feelings known ahead of kick-off, with a banner that was unfurled in the Kop end depicting their three soon-to-be out-of-contract stars.
The accompanying captain read: ‘FSG Give Mo & Co their dough’.
Reds fans reacting to the banner online praised those inside the ground for taking a stand against the club’s ownership with one post on X stating: ‘Fans making it clear—pay Salah and the team what they deserve.’
Another similarly added: ‘Fans are making their voices heard in the Kop… The message is clear: FSG, give Mo and the team what they deserve.’
