Much Ado About Trent
Trent Alexander-Arnold, the scouser in our team, will always be seen as a Liverpool hero. He is the one who fulfilled his boyhood dreams and ran out onto the Anfield turf to play for the beloved Reds. Yet, now he is faced with a choice. Does he seek to be remembered as a Liverpool great? Or does he want to make a journey into the unknown, that initially may be glittered with gold and riches? Should he stay or should he go?
READ MORE: Plaudits For Caoimhin by Morgan O’Sullivan
SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW: YouTube / X (Formerly Twitter) / Instagram / TikTok / Patreon / BlueSky
Trent’s Glowing Resume
Trent has won everything possible at Liverpool. He’s won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, World Club Championship, and Community Shield. Trent has his medals. He has nothing else to win. And that is where he differs from the previous homegrown hero Steven Gerrard. While Gerrard will be regarded as the greatest of all Liverpool players, he did dance with the idea of leaving a couple of times. The promise of riches and the distinct possibility of adding to his trophy haul must have been tempting. Yet he stayed, knowing that winning a trophy at Liverpool meant much more. Trent could stay and seek to win the league and celebrate a title-winning season that he was robbed of due to COVID. But the reality is he has done it all.
The Lure Of Los Blancos
Madrid, with its favorable climate and its magnificently rebuilt stadium, is seen as the epicenter of world football. It is hard to turn down an opportunity to live in a sunnier climate. It is a golden opportunity to learn a different language and culture. Probably most of all, it is a chance to escape the English media which seems to have focused on the weaknesses of our right back in later years as opposed to his strengths. But Trent should be warned that all that glitters is not necessarily gold. That the yellow-bricked road may not be all that it promises. Trent is a great player, and it is highly probable that if he goes to Madrid, he will have a couple of stellar seasons. But then the question will be posed, what is next?
Madrid is a club that always wants the next big thing, the next big shiny object. If Trent signs, and falls out of favor in two or three years, for whatever reason, where does he go next? He would only be 28 or 29 and at the peak of his powers. Would he look to go back to the Premier League? It is highly unlikely that Liverpool would re-sign him with the kind of figures Madrid would be looking for. Would Trent be willing to play for one of the other top-six teams? What happens if Trent goes and he fails to settle, who would he return to? All of these pitfalls must be considered. While a professional athlete must exude confidence in their ability to succeed, the reality is that Real Madrid will be content to cast him aside if it suits them.
There Is Precedent
A number of years ago, Steven Gerrard was struggling with form in the Liverpool team. He was young and raw and had all of the ability in the world. Gerard Houllier took the then-captain, Sami Hyppia aside and asked him if he would be willing to allow Gerrard to take over the captaincy. Concurrently, Virgil van Dijk is world-class. He is the finest defender to play in the Premier League era. He is a natural leader, and he loves the role at Liverpool. However, the captaincy is a unique carrot that should be dangled in front of Trent. The hometown boy, leading his beloved Reds out every week. The opportunity to be the one to raise the Premier League trophy and Champions League trophy in front of his adoring fans is something that would be hard to turn down.
Trent is only 26. Let him sign a 4-year contract and have a gentleman’s agreement with the club that he will be sold to Madrid or Barcelona in his third year at a discounted fee. That way he can still move during his peak years and experience the climate, culture, and football abroad. He can play in Spain for 2-3 years before moving Stateside to finish his career with one last payday in the US.
SHOP THE AMERICAN SCOUSER COLLECTION TODAY
Trent has talked about legacy. Right now, he has nothing to prove. He has won it all. Yet the opportunity to captain the Reds and lift those elusive trophies is what will cement his memory into the hearts and minds of Scousers at home and abroad for years to come. Should he stay or should he go? What is the big rush? Stay for another few years, cement your place in the history books, and then if you still want to move on, go and we will forever be grateful.
