Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool exit still feels difficult to process because it wasn’t just another player leaving Anfield.
The right-back was meant to be our next great Scouse symbol, yet the 27-year-old chose Real Madrid at a time when Liverpool still had a side capable of competing for the biggest honours.
Now Steven Gerrard has made it clear that he hoped the England international would make a different decision.
Speaking to BFM Radio in Kuala Lumpur, Gerrard was asked about Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave Liverpool and didn’t hide how he felt.
Our former captain said: “I wished and hoped that Trent didn’t leave us.”
Gerrard added: “Certainly, you’ll understand and respect that every player has got their own career and can make their own decisions.
“But it’s very difficult to replace a player at Trent’s level because he’s world-class.”
He then left the door open emotionally, saying: “Hopefully, hopefully, he might return one day.”
That will resonate with plenty of Liverpool supporters because, however angry people remain about the way Trent left, nobody can seriously question the level of talent we lost.
The former No.66 made 354 appearances for us, won two Premier League titles and the Champions League, and changed what supporters thought a right-back could be.
James Pearce has already argued that Liverpool have missed Alexander-Arnold even more than Luis Diaz this season, pointing to the creativity and balance we once had down that right side with Mo Salah.
That feels hard to dispute when we’ve seen Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong struggle with injuries, Dominik Szoboszlai used out of position and our attacking patterns become far less settled.
Gerrard has previously said that, with his Liverpool hat on, his reaction to the move was: “What are you doing?”
That remains the feeling for many of us because Gerrard stayed loyal through far harder years, while Trent walked away from a great Liverpool team that still needed him.
Alexander-Arnold let a lot of supporters down, but Gerrard is right about one thing: replacing a world-class local player is never simple.
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