Most supporters would have thought that Trent Alexander-Arnold would never leave Liverpool.

Most supporters would never have imagined Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool.Though he is in the penultimate year of his contract, that fantasy is approaching somewhat too near for comfort. The future of the Reds’ vice-captain is much under debate. Bild now claims Real Madrid contacted Alexander-Arnold this month, and the graduate from Anfield academy is apparently attracted to the approach.

Whether or not that is the case, Liverpool ought to consider it a wake-up call. Arne Slot and Richard Hughes will have to rapidly get Alexander-Arnold tied down to a new contract; in reality, the club shouldn’t have allowed the scenario develop in the first place.

Though he has said earlier that Anfield is where his future belongs, the 25-year-old has not said much about it recently. Liverpool still has one ambition he wants to satisfy even though he has already won every major club trophy available throughout his playing career.

Alexander-Arnold explicitly stated his intentions in an interview with The Times back in 2018. His career will be spent mostly at Anfield.

Apart from Liverpool, I would not want to be anywhere else. I aim to stay for the rest of my career at Liverpool. That is always my dream from first. Particularly Liverpool are special. All completely down to the fans is this. Our love never changes depending on our winning or losing situation.

In the same interview, he expressed his hopes to at last don the captain’s armband at Anfield. One day I hope to be captain. Most surely, that is my dream. I hope with dedication, the right advice and the hard work that still needs to be put in that one day I might achieve that dream of becoming captain, something that me and my family will be very proud of if it comes.”

After signing a new deal back in 2021, Alexander-Arnold doubled down on his captaincy ambitions. Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com, he said: “I think a few years ago it was obviously to establish myself as a regular and push on and kind of be an always-starter, someone that couldn’t really be dropped. I think over the last few years I’ve kind of achieved that.

“Now it’s about just winning things, leading the team as well in certain ways, being more of a leader on the pitch, off the pitch for the younger players. Establishing myself in those kind of roles as a leader would be something I’ve got my eye on.”

And after being handed the vice-captaincy last summer, Alexander-Arnold was already looking toward the future. “I’ve put a lot of hard work in up to this moment to reach these kinds of milestones,” he told the club’s website.

“It is a moment where I have reflected and thought I’m proud of myself and it has made me smile — and it takes a lot to make me smile! I’ve never been shy of saying what my ambitions are and that’s always been to captain this club. This is a pathway and a stepping stone to that.”