Contrary to initial expectations that he would leave Anfield on a free transfer after two decades with the club, Liverpool has surprisingly agreed to a deal allowing right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold to join Real Madrid for a considerable fee.
The transfer is set to be finalised on Sunday, June 1st. This means Alexander-Arnold will link up with the Spanish giants 29 days before his contract with the Merseyside club was due to expire.
The agreement includes an upfront transfer fee estimated to be around £8.4 million. In addition to this, Real Madrid will take responsibility for the player`s wages for the month of June, effectively increasing the total compensation received by Liverpool to approximately £10 million.
Alexander-Arnold departs Liverpool fresh off the back of securing a record-equalling Premier League title with the club on Sunday. This latest triumph marks his second Premier League crown as a Reds player, adding to a distinguished collection of honours including the Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup, and two League Cups.
His decision to leave his boyhood club became public knowledge at the start of May, following a breakdown in discussions over a new contract. This announcement was initially met with significant dissatisfaction from a segment of the Liverpool fanbase.
He reportedly received boos when substituted against Arsenal in his first home appearance subsequent to the announcement. However, he recently experienced a more positive sendoff at Anfield, being applauded by the crowd as he ascended to collect his Premier League winner’s medal at the weekend.
Having celebrated domestic success by lifting the Premier League trophy, Trent Alexander-Arnold is now preparing to join his England teammate, Jude Bellingham, at the Santiago Bernabeu. He is expected to integrate with the squad ahead of the inaugural Club World Cup tournament hosted in the United States, where Real Madrid are widely regarded as one of the leading contenders.
The `Galacticos` evidently see Alexander-Arnold as a valuable asset who could bolster their chances in the upcoming competition, judging by the fact that they paid a fee for his early arrival that is worth more than 10 per cent of the Club World Cup`s £97 million prize fund.
For Liverpool, the incoming fee from Alexander-Arnold`s transfer serves to mitigate some of the financial outlay associated with securing his anticipated replacement, Jeremie Frimpong. The Bayer Leverkusen right-back is reportedly set to join the Reds for a fee of £29.5 million.
