After 20 years, 352 appearances, and major club honours in his trophy cabinet, Trent Alexander-Arnold bids farewell to Liverpool FC, his boyhood club, his home, and the stage where he rose from local talent to global star.
The 26-year-old right-back, who announced on Monday that he will leave Anfield as a free agent this summer, is widely expected to join Real Madrid. If confirmed, his move to the Spanish giants will mark the end of an era at Liverpool, one defined by his creativity, intelligence, and unwavering passion in red.
Read Also: Trent Alexander-Arnold announces Liverpool exit, to join Real Madrid
Career Records and Silverware: A Legacy in Numbers
Alexander-Arnold’s journey with Liverpool began in 2004 when he joined the club’s academy at just six years old. Twelve years later, he made his first-team debut under Jurgen Klopp and quickly established himself as one of the finest full-backs of his generation.
Read Also: Real Madrid to complete Alexander-Arnold deal ahead of Club World Cup
The numbers behind Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool career are staggering:
352 Appearances
23 Goals
86 Assists (a record-breaking tally for a defender in the Premier League era)
2 Premier League titles (2019/20, 2023/24)
1 UEFA Champions League (2018/19)
1 FA Cup (2021/22)
2 Carabao Cups (2021/22, 2023/24)
1 FIFA Club World Cup (2019)
1 UEFA Super Cup (2019)
He was instrumental in Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years, with his dazzling passing range and unmatched delivery from wide positions giving the Reds an added dimension in attack. In that historic 2019/20 season, he notched 13 league assists, a Premier League record for a defender at the time.
His now-iconic quick corner against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final, which slid in unexpectedly for Divock Origi to score, became a symbol of his sharp footballing mind and fearless approach to the game.
From local hero to global symbol
Despite debates over his defensive capabilities, few players in world football have redefined a position quite like Alexander-Arnold has. Where traditional full-backs were once support roles, he became a playmaker, a quarterback, and at times, Liverpool’s creative heartbeat.
No English player has registered more assists in all competitions since his debut, and few have done it with such grace, consistency, and loyalty to a club identity.
“He’s a generational talent,” Klopp once said. “He doesn’t just play the game, he reads it; he owns it.”
Next big leap?
Many fans question his decision to leave a Liverpool side once again on the rise under Arne Slot, especially for a Real Madrid team going through a managerial transition and squad renewal. But as Alexander-Arnold himself said earlier this year, “The most important thing is trophies. I’m a player who is highly motivated by winning things and being elite.”
At Real Madrid, the lure is timeless. In 2023, Jude Bellingham echoed the same sentiment when choosing Madrid over the rest of Europe: “When Real Madrid knock on the door, the whole house shakes.”
The Spanish giants had reportedly made a £20m approach in January and now look set to secure Alexander-Arnold on a six-year deal without paying a transfer fee.
A legacy etched in Red
Alexander-Arnold’s legacy at Liverpool is secure. He didn’t just come through the academy. He defined what coming through the academy could mean. A local lad with a world-class future.
“This is easily the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life,” he wrote in his farewell message. “I’ve achieved all my dreams here. But I need a new challenge, both as a player and as a person.”
Twenty years after first pulling on a Liverpool shirt, he leaves with tears, trophies, and a place forever in the club’s folklore.
