Alexander-Arnold backlash: 'Brilliant servant' or 'tarnished legacy'?

Trent Alexander-Arnold has made 349 appearances for Liverpool

After months of speculation, Liverpool fans are trying to process the prospect of Trent Alexander-Arnold possibly joining Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old Liverpudlian has entered the final three months of his contract and can negotiate with potential suitors before he becomes a free agent this summer.

Though there is no agreement between the player and Real Madrid, BBC Sport reported on Tuesday that work towards completing a deal is reaching the closing stages.

If agreed, it would see local boy Alexander-Arnold, who joined Liverpool's academy at six years old and has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup with the club, leave for the Spanish giants on a free transfer.

Reaction to the news on BBC Sport's football pages, social media and fans' forums has ranged from the comedic to the extreme.

Some social media accounts have been insulting, turning his famous "I'm just a normal lad" quote against him. Others have photoshopped the text on his mural round the corner from Anfield.

Not even his iconic quick corner that completed the famous Champions League comeback against Barcelona in 2019 has escaped the treatment. Multiple edits now have either Andy Robertson, James Milner or Wataru Endo setting up Divock Origi's winning goal instead.

Another post, widely recirculated, simply says: "Corner wasn't even taken that quickly."

If parts of this online re-writing of history are presumably tongue in cheek, there is also a darker, more extreme backlash visible as well.

"It's unfair," Steve McManaman, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid in 1999, told BBC Sport. "If Virgil van Dijk or Mohamed Salah leave then it's Liverpool's fault, if Trent were to leave then it's Trent's fault.

"His legacy, I hope, is one of an outstanding homegrown footballer who's done incredibly well for this club."

Some believe Alexander-Arnold simply wants to push himself to the next level.

"He wants to aim to win the Ballon d'Or," says Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague.

"I think he has reached the conclusion that to reach his potential he has to move abroad and leave his comfort zone. He wants to conquer the world and I find that admirable.

"If you have a bit of empathy, forget about tribalism, you should clap him out. He's a Liverpool kid that fell in love with Spanish football."

'We're all living vicariously through Trent - and are gutted'

Liverpool are cruising towards a Premier League title at the first attempt under Arne Slot, but off the pitch, this season has not been as straightforward.

The club have had four directors of football since the start of 2022, and now Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk have entered the final months of their contracts.

It has been a particularly unsettled year for Alexander-Arnold, who unlike his team-mates, has deliberately chosen not to speak on his future.

Though the right-back has started 26 of his side's 29 league games under Slot and made eight goal contributions in the Premier League, his contract situation has cast him in a light previously unthinkable at Anfield.

It spilled over in January when home fans targeted Alexander Arnold during a below-par performance against rivals Manchester United.

Alexander-Arnold's deep-rooted connection with the club and city has placed added scrutiny on his situation and a comment in an interview with Sky Sports that he would rather win the individual Ballon d'Or title than another Champions League with his boyhood club has been thrown back at him by some fans.

"As a Liverpool fan you're just devastated... but he has won everything there is to win at Liverpool," supporter Abigail Rudkin said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"We are all living vicariously through Trent and now [it looks like] he has decided Madrid is the new dream. That's why we're all gutted."

The fact that Alexander-Arnold's performances have not been as consistent as Salah's and Van Dijk's this term hasn't helped either.

Two stark statistics neatly summarise the Alexander-Arnold conundrum.

• Since 2017-18 no defender in Europe's top five leagues has made more assists, or created more chances - and no player in any position has played more passes into the opposition box, including crosses

• No Premier League player this season has been dribbled past more times than Alexander-Arnold (53) and only Ipswich's Ben Johnson has a lower duel success rate among Premier League full-backs (46.6% for Alexander-Arnold)

For some, the emergence of right-back Conor Bradley has softened the blow of potentially losing Alexander-Arnold.

The full-blooded performances of the Northern Ireland international have already made him a fan favourite, suggesting he could fill part of Trent's role on the pitch and in the stands.

What else are fans saying?

There have been few transfer sagas in recent history that have divided fan opinion quite like this.

"[I] can't believe the negativity directed towards Trent Alexander-Arnold and his potential move away from Liverpool," former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock wrote on X.

"I've seen comments like 'he should be ashamed' and he's 'not loyal to the club'. [They] are deluded.

"He's entitled to make his own choices and challenge himself in a different league and different country. He's won everything with LFC, been an incredible servant to the club and should be given a great send off by the fans."

Part of the issue for Alexander-Arnold is the inevitable comparison to Steven Gerrard, a local lad who turned down opportunities to leave the club and improve his chances of winning team and individual honours.

"It completely tarnishes his image," Liverpool fan Rory told BBC Sport.

"He was supposed to follow in Stevie's [Gerrard] footsteps and become the captain, a Liverpool icon. Instead, he's decided to pursue personal glory and made a mockery of his previous declarations of loyalty."

Richard said: "What hurts the most is that he's run down his contract to go for free. A player that not all that long ago wanted to become club captain and now doesn't care that we won't even get a fee to help replace him."

Keith told BBC Sport: "I'm just wondering what colour we should paint the wall where his mural is painted. Any legacy as a Liverpool legend was tenuous in the first place, but he isn't good enough as a defender to achieve that anyway."

On the other side of the debate, Liverpool supporter Stew said: "I hold nothing against Trent leaving. He's given his all and won everything with the club. The biggest crime is [the club] letting him go on a free."

Jonathan told BBC Sport: "Real represents something unique for English players, as so few have had that opportunity.

"Trent has been a brilliant servant for Liverpool, and playing for Real Madrid could help him develop into an even more amazing player."

Gary argued: "Surely Liverpool fans should be directing their ire at the owners and management who have allowed a homegrown player to get to the point where he can leave for nothing, rather than the player for accepting an offer from another club when Liverpool have done little to try to get him to stay?"

Alex said: "Football is a business and players rise and fall and new ones come. You can see why the club might be keen to cut a few big salaries to finance some up and coming talent."

Other fans use the departures of Fernando Torres, Michael Owen and Luis Suarez to argue Liverpool will do just fine without Alexander-Arnold.

"No player is bigger than the club," says Jed. "Liverpool have always managed to replace players without a lot of fuss."

Liverpool return to action against Everton in the Merseyside derby on 2 April, though Alexander-Arnold is likely to miss out because of an ankle injury.

If he does play again this season, all eyes will be on his reception from fans who have idolised him over the past nine years.