As Liverpool head into the second international break of the season with the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold still up in the air, Aaron Cutler asks whether leaving on a free would taint his legacy.
Liverpool are sitting pretty; top of the table heading into the second international break of the season, Arne Slot couldn’t have wished for a better start to his reign. One Nottingham Forest aberration apart, it has proven the smoothest transition.
Yet, for all the positivity on the field, uncertainty off it serves to check optimism.
Contract renewals, or rather a lack of them, are a spectre hanging over the club on the eve of a crunch period. Moreover, it’s one looming ever larger given those involved can start negotiating with rivals from overseas as soon as January.
That it has come to this reflects poorly on those running the show.
Mitigating factors can certainly be provided, changes in manager and sporting director chief among them, but to risk losing three of your four genuinely world-class players in one summer is a dereliction of duty. Spinning that doomsday scenario as anything but a catastrophe will be a tall order.
While supporters aren’t privy to private discussions, two of the three players in question have at least indicated a desire to remain at Anfield. Of course, public statements of that kind can be a negotiation tactic in themselves, but given the personalities of Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah, you’d like to believe their intentions are genuine.
That leaves Trent Alexander-Arnold. From the outside looking in, his long-term future appears the most uncertain and given his roots, the most contentious.
Judged by a different standard
Rightly or wrongly, loyalty is demanded from local players, particularly those who have graduated from the academy.
Were Van Dijk or Salah to depart Liverpool next summer it would be regrettable but there would still be fond farewells. Were Trent to follow suit, he risks burning bridges and that’s a dilemma he is surely reckoning with.
Obvious comparisons have been made to Steven Gerrard who shunned plenty of advances, to cement his legacy at the club and within the city. Another Scouser, though, has previously charted a course away from L4.
Steve McManaman proved there is life after Liverpool and silverware to be hoovered up. One of the few comments Trent has made in relation to his contract ‘stand-off’ is the significance of trophies.
Signing for Real Madrid is guaranteed entry to the winners’ ball, but in his case there is a price of admission – he need look no further than McManaman as a cautionary tale.
Younger fans may not appreciate just how good a player ‘Macca’ was. Questionable barnets and commentary (Sloberszlai?) alike mean he’s painted as somewhat of a joke figure on social media. On the pitch, he was anything but.
The creative fulcrum of Roy Evans’ 90s side, he provided the creativity that made them one of the most potent sides of the era. Across nine years he assisted 85 goals, comfortably placing him among the top 10 most creative players in our history – and still above Trent, just.
He also starred in two major final victories, memorably netting both goals in the League Cup triumph of 1995.
He’s a Liverpool legend in all but name and that’s solely because he ultimately ran down his contract. The first high-profile Bosman transfer, his decision to leave on a free tainted his legacy and reputation.
While nobody would call McManamann unpopular he’s definitely not revered. He’s more likely to receive a small applause than a standing ovation.
To be clear, he’s unlikely to lose any sleep – two Champions League and La Liga medals ensure that – but there must surely be a pang of regret that he’s not lauded in the same manner as his great friend, Robbie Fowler.
Trent has much to consider over the coming weeks but legacy will surely come into consideration. Legendary status is within reach but following a different path now will make any return journey home that bit trickier. Depart on a free and you’d best not bother.
He is the heir apparent to the captaincy, the man around which Slot’s Liverpool would surely be built and someone with a mural dedicated to them outside Anfield. He stands on the brink of realising everything he’s ever worked towards and yet the bright lights of Madrid provide a fly in the ointment.
The self-proclaimed glamour club can dazzle even the most committed of players.
That temptation will only increase when overtures come by way of one of your best friends in Jude Bellingham.
Is it fair that he’s held to a different standard simply because of where he was born? Perhaps.
In any other walk of life, an employee would be encouraged to earn and achieve more, particularly if that were in sunnier climates, even more so if they’ve hit every KPI in their current workplace (something Gerrard never managed).
But football is tribal and Liverpool is exceptional.
Behind closed doors
By stating he intends to handle the situation in private Alexander-Arnold has bought himself time but not much. With each passing week, apprehension grows among the fanbase. The longer this impasse drags on, the greater the likelihood of discontent from the stands.
If we’re no closer to a breakthrough in a month’s time, and the team and player’s standards drop, the chances are the mood music will change and Trent will be in the firing line with his commitment questioned. That’s the harsh reality of football.
Rumblings of that kind were already evident in the wake of his reaction to being substituted against Brentford. So too reports, albeit from Spain, that he’s not answered Liverpool’s latest proposals. There is a nervousness that could quickly turn to anger.
The prevailing attitude is that Trent is entitled to take his time, but that patience might run out. We’re already at a point where his every move and facial expression are being studied. A season-ending injury to Madrid’s current right-back, Dani Carvajal, has further ratcheted up the anxiety.
Should we reach Easter with no renewal confirmed, he could be running the gauntlet.
For Liverpool’s part, you trust the club has prepared a suitable offer befitting a player of his quality. Recent quotes from Messrs Van Dijk and Salah mean even they can’t be taken for granted, but the suits will be keenly aware that of the three, Trent absolutely must get over the line.
To lose a player of his ability at this age and given his personal attachment to the club, would be a huge blow and couldn’t be painted as anything different. It would weaken not only the team but our standing on the world stage.
The biggest clubs retain their best players. The stakes are high and both sides have a lot to lose.
