Danny Murphy, the former Liverpool midfielder who also grew up as a fervent Reds supporter, empathises with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s current predicament. In 2004, Murphy faced his own turning point when he had to leave Anfield, similar to the situation Alexander-Arnold finds himself in amid rumours of a potential switch to Real Madrid.
Despite Murphy’s move being to Charlton Athletic rather than the glamorous Bernabeu, he feels a connection to Liverpool’s vice-captain’s feelings. “I grew up a Liverpool fan and never wanted to leave,” Murphy told Mirror Football, courtesy of Betway.
“I also didn’t ever have the option of a Real Madrid to consider, so it’s a little bit different… He might have the opportunity to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world and create a legacy there after already creating one in Liverpool.”
Murphy also suggested that Alexander-Arnold could “benefit” from “broadening his horizons”, hinting that departing Liverpool might ultimately be a positive step. “He’s always lived in the area as a local lad, and maybe broadening his horizons and having a new life experience as well as a new football experience is something that every player can benefit from,” added the 47 year old.
“So, I think with Trent, I wouldn’t be necessarily advise him to stay, I’d be advising him to do what he thinks is right from a football perspective, irrelevant of who pays more or how long the contract is. From a footballing perspective, do what you think is best for you and go with it.
“Don’t let somebody else change your opinion because of their feelings, do what you want to do. That’s what I’d say to Trent, just go with your gut.”
It’s understood that Alexander-Arnold has verbally agreed to join Los Blancos when his Liverpool contract expires at the end of the season.
The Reds are still hopeful that a last-minute U-turn could be on the cards, but are increasingly resigned to losing their academy graduate, who will leave on a free transfer if he doesn’t pen new deal in the coming weeks.
Alexander-Arnold’s situation isn’t unique. Both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have entered the final few months of their respective deals, with summer exits looking likely, particularly for the former.
When asked which contract rebel Liverpool would miss the least, Murphy replied: “They’ll miss all of them because of how good they are… But if I was if I was forced to give an answer, I’d say Trent.”
“That’s probably for two reasons; one is Connor Bradley and the emergence of him and how good he is. And the second reason is, even though Trent can win games from right-back on occasion, it’s a less important position than a centre-back who is the king pin of your team, the leader and the captain.
“Also, if you’re comparing him to Salah, we know the percentage of goals and assist he brings, and that’s not an easy thing to replace. So Trent would be the answer out of the three.”
Murphy, who earned nine caps for England, spent seven years at Liverpool. He joined from Crewe Alexandra in 1997, and although it took him a couple of seasons to become a first-team regular, he eventually established himself as one of the club’s most reliable performers.
He was part of the Liverpool side that clinched three cups (the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Cup) in 2000/01, and endeared himself to fans by developing a knack of scoring against rivals Manchester United. In 2003, he was named Liverpool Player of the Season, but just 12 months later was deemed surplus to requirements by Rafael Benitez, who had replaced Gerard Houllier at the helm that summer.
After his stint at Charlton, he played for Tottenham, Fulham and Blackburn before hanging up his boots in 2013. Ever since, he’s forged a successful media career and is a regular pundit on both Match of the Day and talkSPORT.
This article was originally produced via Mirror Sport.
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