00:00Trent Alexander-Arnold remains a pivotal figure for Liverpool, showcasing his exceptional
00:08playmaking and versatility from right back. His vision and technical ability continue
00:14to drive the team forward, making him indispensable in attack. I spoke with Will Rooney of Liverpool
00:20World to discuss Alexander-Arnold's career, his impact on the squad and what the future
00:25might hold as Liverpool prepare for key decisions this summer.
00:56The other big players that you see at Liverpool, just trying to sum up his Liverpool career and
01:03his impact on the club, he's been absolutely mercurial for them and reinvented the whole
01:09full-back position, really being so attactive and being excellent. Obviously, he's had his
01:14critics at times defensively, but if you look back, he's played pretty much 40 games or more
01:20in the last seven or eight years at the club. It's been unbelievable. What do you make of his
01:26impact at the club and how far he's gone with Liverpool?
01:31Yes, there's not many players who come from the academy and go on to have his career that
01:38he did. If you look at academy players in recent years, certainly maybe only Steven Gerrard
01:48to pass as him. You have to go back to the 80s with some of the names like Phil Thompson.
01:53But when you're thinking of modern times, it's probably only Steven Gerrard that sits higher
02:01than him. Steven Gerrard didn't win a Premier League trophy since Alexander-Arnold was born
02:07when he was what? Five years ago, maybe he was 21. Still, he's won the Champions League and the
02:14Premier League by then. As you say, the way he plays that right-back position, it's been like no
02:21other. Philipp Lahm maybe, Bayern Munich, was one who played similar. The prowess he has on the ball
02:31is something like we have never seen in the Premier League from a full-back, the way he wants to get
02:37forward at will. But of course, on the flip side, that's been a little bit of a stick to beaten with
02:44because he has his critics defensively. Now, I personally don't think he'll focus on what he
02:50can't do, but what he can do and what he can do is exceptional. There's a reason why he has won all
03:00these trophies he has at Liverpool. There's a reason why he was thrust into the third team when he was
03:05a teenager. He's gone on to have a career that every Liverpool fan who's from the city dreams of.
03:13I think that's why it maybe is coming to an end. If it does come to an end, that's why it will
03:20leave a little bit of a sour taste because of how it's dragged out. If it does leave on a free
03:28transfer, then it will be a bitter pill to swallow for the supporters not getting a fee.
03:34Steve McManaman left on a free transfer to Real Madrid and his legacy was tarnished a little bit.
03:41Will Trent Alexander-Arnold would be in the same boat if he opted to move to Real Madrid.
03:45If he wanted to, he's talked about wanting to be a future Liverpool captain. Virgil van Dijk's
03:52coming towards the end of his career. He's 33 now. He's only got a couple of years.
03:58Even if Van Dijk stayed a couple of years and then signed a new deal, he might say it's time
04:03to pass the armbands on. When he's made statements like that, I think it's always difficult to take.
04:12In terms of the England situation, there's not too many Liverpool fans who have a lot of
04:22affinity to England. I don't think they'll be looking at it that way. From a pure football
04:29perspective, it would be great to change cultures and try something else. I'd never begrudge anyone
04:34doing that. But I think the circumstances, if he does leave, that's why supporters will feel
04:41like they've been hard done by.
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