Jamie Carragher is mistaken about Trent Alexander-Arnold: While Liverpool is a massive club, Real Madrid is on another level. It’s a privilege for another England player to join Los Blancos.
The attacking full-back’s impending move to Spain should be seen as a milestone for English football, highlighting its progress on the global stage.
Football’s worst-kept secret is finally out: Trent Alexander-Arnold is heading to Real Madrid. While the transfer isn’t official yet, there’s no turning back after the Liverpool right-back agreed to a five-year deal with Los Blancos, set to take effect once his contract with the Reds expires at the end of June.
This move has been in the making for some time. Madrid signaled their interest earlier this year with a half-hearted attempt to sign the 26-year-old in the January transfer window. However, reports from Marca suggest Alexander-Arnold had already made up his mind as early as 2023—shortly after his close friend Jude Bellingham joined the Spanish giants—that his Liverpool chapter was coming to an end.
The news has sparked outrage among many Liverpool fans, with one supporter even burning his Alexander-Arnold jersey on camera and others demanding he be dropped for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, some have taken a more measured approach, recognizing the undeniable allure of the Santiago Bernabeu while lamenting that Alexander-Arnold has chosen to leave rather than help Liverpool solidify themselves as Europe’s second-most dominant club behind Madrid.
However, both perspectives miss the mark. Real Madrid has always been and will continue to be the pinnacle for any footballer, except perhaps lifelong Barcelona supporters. The fact that Europe’s most successful club wants to sign Alexander-Arnold is something to be celebrated…
Carragher's disappointment
This transfer saga has been on Jamie Carragher’s mind for quite some time. After initially suggesting—somewhat controversially—that Alexander-Arnold should extend his Liverpool contract just so the club could secure a transfer fee, Carragher eventually came to terms with his departure. However, he remained disappointed with how things ultimately played out.
“Where I’m at is that, as a local player and a Liverpool fan, Liverpool are in a position where they’re competing for the league and a European Cup every year. So, if you’re a Liverpool fan and a local player, I’m just disappointed that he doesn’t think that this is it,” Carragher said on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet. “I’m putting myself in his position, where I’d be thinking that we could go level with Manchester United in league trophies, I’ve got another seven or eight years at Liverpool and want to get three or four ahead of them, with a couple more European Cups.
“We always talk about rivalries and never think of it as European. In some ways, Real Madrid is a rival, and no one will catch them – they are the biggest and most famous team- but I’m desperate for Liverpool to get second on that list – AC Milan are on seven [European Cup wins]. If I was him, I’d be thinking that we’ve got a great opportunity to win the league this year and could do this and that and at the end of his time, put Liverpool in a position [to top others].”
Liverpool dynasty no guarantee
But Carragher is overlooking the reality of Liverpool’s current situation. Yes, the Reds are on track to secure a record-equalling 20th English league title and came within a penalty shootout of the Champions League quarter-finals. However, when Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp, few expected them to have such a strong season, and there’s no certainty they’ll establish another dominant era in the years ahead.
Their success this season has largely relied on three key players—Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Dominik Szoboszlai—two of whom could depart alongside Alexander-Arnold this summer when their contracts expire. In fact, Carragher himself has pointed out that Slot doesn’t rate four or five players in the current squad, suggesting that the Dutchman faces a significant rebuilding task.
Liverpool’s long-term uncertainty was exposed in their lopsided Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle. Moreover, their usual competitors have had off-seasons—Manchester City will likely bounce back next year, and Arsenal remains a formidable force. Had Alexander-Arnold committed to a long-term deal at Anfield, he might have found himself frustrated with the club’s trajectory.
Guaranteed success
Alexander-Arnold has already enjoyed a remarkable career at Liverpool, playing a key role in their 2019 Champions League triumph and helping end the club’s 30-year wait for a league title in 2020. He has also lifted the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup. Additionally, he has featured in two other Champions League finals—both lost to Real Madrid. The Spanish giants also eliminated Liverpool from the competition in 2021 and 2023, meaning four of his seven Champions League campaigns have ended in defeat to Los Blancos.
With that in mind, Alexander-Arnold is well aware that a move to Madrid significantly boosts his chances of winning the biggest trophies. Los Blancos have claimed six of the last 11 Champions League titles and four La Liga crowns in the same period—compared to Liverpool’s one league title and one Champions League victory.
Beyond silverware, the full-back will also experience life at the newly renovated Santiago Bernabeu, widely regarded as the finest stadium in football. Playing for the most-followed club on social media, he will gain even greater global attention. At Madrid, he will line up alongside superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Thibaut Courtois, and his close friend Jude Bellingham.
Madrid’s financial strength, further bolstered by revenue from the upgraded Bernabeu, ensures they will continue attracting the best talents. Meanwhile, despite Barcelona’s recent resurgence, their deep financial troubles make Real Madrid the more stable powerhouse in the long run.
Ballon d'Or boost
Alexander-Arnold’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or will also increase with a move to Madrid. Real Madrid has produced more Ballon d’Or winners than any other club, with eight players claiming the prestigious award a total of 12 times.
The full-back has been open about his ambition to win football’s highest individual honor. Speaking to Sky Sports last year, he stated: “I want to be the first full-back to ever do it. It’s only the morning after you retire that you’re able to look in the mirror and say, ‘I gave it everything I got’. It doesn’t matter how many trophies you win or how many medals you’ve got. It matters what you give to the game and if you reach your full potential.”
In the same interview, he made it clear that his goal isn’t just to be remembered as a decorated footballer but as someone who redefined the role of a right-back. “A legend of football, someone who changed the game,” he said. “That is the main thing that I have—’don’t play the game; change the game’. I want that legacy of being the greatest right-back to have played football. I have got to reach for the stars and that’s where I believe my ceiling can go.”
While these statements were met with skepticism at the time, and some Liverpool fans mocked his preference for winning the Ballon d’Or over the World Cup after news of his Madrid move surfaced, his ambition should be respected. English players have often been criticized for being too insular, but Alexander-Arnold—like Jude Bellingham—represents a new generation unafraid to seek challenges abroad.
Whether Liverpool fans like it or not, the reality is that he is more likely to reach new heights at Real Madrid. Playing alongside the world’s top talents will push him to improve even further, and competing for the Champions League and La Liga titles year after year will only enhance his legacy.
Gerrard's regret
Carragher never had the opportunity to join Real Madrid and remained at Liverpool for his entire career. However, his close friend Steven Gerrard did receive an offer from Los Blancos. Gerrard, who also contemplated a move to Chelsea before ultimately staying at Anfield, is regarded as the ultimate Liverpool icon, despite not being a true “one-club man” since he finished his career at LA Galaxy. In 2020, he admitted to Carragher that he still reflects on his decision to turn down Madrid in 2010 when José Mourinho attempted to sign him.
“Maybe you look back and think: imagine playing for Madrid for a year or two,” Gerrard told Carragher’s The Greatest Game podcast in 2020. “Imagine going and playing for Mourinho in the Champions League – that would’ve been an unbelievable experience. Of course it would. But it didn’t happen. Basically, Madrid wanted me to cause a war at Liverpool to get out. That was the only way that could’ve happened.”
Alexander-Arnold is facing the criticism that Gerrard was not willing to accept. While it may be a tough few weeks for him, many Liverpool supporters will secretly acknowledge that Madrid offers a more appealing opportunity, and they will likely wish him the best. Carragher has expressed the same sentiment.
He added: “The thing about Liverpool supporters being disappointed, you can get, but the disappointing thing for me is that everything is there for him to go on. What I hope doesn’t happen is this resentment carries on and hoping he does’t do well at Real Madrid – I love people from my own city doing well, and he’s playing for the biggest club in the world. Once he’s gone, I’d love him to do well.”
England ambassadors
Roy Keane, Carragher’s colleague on Stick to Football, has expressed regret over not playing for a top European club, despite receiving offers from Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid during his career. He shared on the podcast last year, “I definitely should’ve gone abroad. I had opportunities to play abroad. I should’ve been brave enough to go play in Italy, Germany, or Spain, and I had the chance.”
Alexander-Arnold, however, is seizing that opportunity, and he deserves credit for it. While there is understandable sadness in Liverpool about losing one of their best homegrown players, there should also be pride that Real Madrid is eager to sign one of their own. English football fans should celebrate his move to Spain.
Historically, England has struggled in tournaments due to a lack of creativity, and the fact that most of their players played in the same league likely contributed to that. However, the 2026 World Cup squad will feature Harry Kane, England’s striker and captain, at Bayern Munich, along with Jude Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid. Conor Gallagher and Kyle Walker could also join them after making moves to Atletico Madrid and AC Milan.
English football, once seen as provincial and arrogant, now sees the best clubs in the world seeking out English players. This reflects the immense progress the English game has made in recent years. Instead of disappointment, the dominant feeling surrounding Alexander-Arnold’s transfer should be pride. Starting next season, two English players will be part of the world’s greatest club—what an honor.
