Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold has announced he will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season, drawing a close to a two-decade chapter at his boyhood club.
The 26-year-old is widely expected to join Spanish giants Real Madrid on a free transfer.
"This is easily the hardest decision I've ever made in my life," Alexander-Arnold said in a heartfelt statement posted on social media.
"After 20 years at Liverpool Football Club, now is the time for me to confirm that I will be leaving at the end of the season."
The announcement comes as a surprise to many, given the club’s successful campaign under new manager Arne Slot, which saw Liverpool reclaim the Premier League title.
While key teammates Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk recently agreed contract extensions, Alexander-Arnold has opted for a new challenge abroad.
Having joined the club's academy at just six years old, the Liverpool-born defender made his senior debut in 2016 and has since become one of the game’s premier attacking full-backs.
He has made 352 appearances and scored 23 goals for the Reds, playing a pivotal role in the club’s most successful era in decades.
His trophy cabinet includes two Premier League titles (2019–20 and 2024–25), a UEFA Champions League crown (2018–19), an FA Cup (2022), and two League Cups (2022 and 2024).
"This club has been my whole life – my whole world – for 20 years," he wrote. "But I have never known anything else, and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge, taking myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally."
Liverpool Football Club paid tribute to his service in a statement, saying he would leave “with our gratitude and appreciation for his contribution during a sustained period of success.”
Alexander-Arnold’s next move is widely anticipated to be a switch to Real Madrid, where he would follow in the footsteps of other high-profile Premier League departures seeking new heights in La Liga.
With the full-back’s departure confirmed, attention now turns to how Liverpool will fill the void in a defence that has long relied on his creative influence and leadership.
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