Liverpool vice-captain understands the disappointment of supporters, but makes it clear he doesn’t think there is any club better than Liverpool
Departing Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has said that he is not leaving the club because he wants something better, but that he just wants something different after staying at Anfield for 20 years.
“[Signing a contract] was a massive possibility,” said Alexander-Arnold. “I’ve got full confidence in the manager and the staff and the club going forward.
“It’s not about me thinking we’re not going to fight for titles or fight for trophies season in, season out, because I knew from the first few moments with the manager that he was a winner. He was aiming to go and win things.
“And you’ve seen that this season with the way that we’ve played. So it was never about not having confidence in that, it just boiled down to what I felt I needed, and that is a change.
“That’s something I need to do on my personal journey as a person, but also as a player and a professional, to go and challenge myself elsewhere. I feel like a challenge in a different environment is something I need to do as a player.”
The vice-captain’s announcement of a time-out at the club has been met with both heartbreak and frustration from fans. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said on Monday that many fans would be extremely disappointed and that the 26-year-old’s status at the club would diminish.
All sentiments that Alexander-Arnold says he understands completely. But he has stressed that he doesn’t want talk over his departure to drown out what the club have achieved under manager Arne Slot this season.
“I’m just hoping that we’re able to carry on winning games. The noise doesn’t take away from the fact of what we’ve achieved this season,” Alexander-Arnold said.
“It has been an amazing season, it has been amazing to be part of it and I just hope that everyone is able to maybe not dwell on this news for too long and be able to celebrate what the rest of the lads have done.
“Don’t let this cast a dark cloud over the season and let everyone celebrate what we’ve achieved as a club. And to enjoy the home and away games, the guards of honour, the celebrations, everything that comes with it.
“I’m hoping we’re able to celebrate it together. I know the news will take a bit of time to set in and people won’t be happy, and they’ll be disappointed.
“At the end of the day, you can be angry and hurt at me, but I just hope that the lads, the rest of the team, the staff, everyone else is able to feel how good a season this has been and able to feel the love and support from the fans as they have done all season.”
