A look at TAA and the latest situation with LFC.
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00:00Looking at Liverpool and the latest emerging around Trent Alexander-Arnold with multiple reports saying the deal to Real Madrid is pretty much all but confirmed.
00:12This is a bit of a blow and Liverpool have been so uncertain about his future with the contract ending in the summer.
00:20Firstly, what's your take on the situation in terms of a fan disappointed about how the club's reacted and not got a contract sorted with him?
00:31It's been quite a long time, pretty much 18 months really since the speculation started.
00:35That's a very long period of time to go on with a bit of uncertainty despite his fantastic form in all competitions this season.
00:46I don't think it's quite done as in it sounds on the dotted line but I think the conclusion is inevitable.
00:55I think we've known for a few months now it's been heading that way, hasn't it?
01:00Since Real Madrid lodged that inquiry before January opened, Real Madrid wouldn't have done that unless they had an inkling that Trent Alexander-Arnold wanted to join the club and suggested he'd be open to it.
01:13They obviously tried the hand there. There's definitely mixed feelings.
01:19Some will be saying, how has it got to this situation? How has Liverpool not offered him a contract?
01:25What you've got to remember is that JĂĽrgen Klopp was leaving and Liverpool had to prioritise getting a new manager, a new head coach.
01:34The player as well might have wanted to assess his options. He wanted to assess, did he want to stay for the long term?
01:41Did he want to work under Arnaud Slot? How would it go? Would Liverpool decline?
01:45Real Madrid might have put the idea in his head.
01:48It's difficult to turn down Real Madrid and not many players get that opportunity to go and play for the biggest club in the world.
01:58There's doubt in my eyes. It's the fact that he's a local lad leaving on a free transfer that a lot of fans can't quite palate.
02:11He's come through the ranks. He's made it clear in the past that he wants to be a future captain of Liverpool.
02:23He says in previous interviews that he's never thought about playing in any other league.
02:30A few years ago, people changed their minds to a title to do that.
02:34When things are on record, that's always going to come back to bite you when you're making statements like that.
02:41He's won everything at Liverpool. He wants, it looks like, to have a fresh challenge.
02:49People say you should get a fee for him, but I forget.
02:54Liverpool have had more than the money's worth out of him as well.
02:59He's come through the academy. Liverpool invest money in him.
03:02He's come through the academy, the coaching set-up, etc.
03:05But it's not like he's been a dud. He's taken money left, right and centre of Liverpool.
03:12He's contributed more than many would have expected on the pitch when he made the breakthrough.
03:18He was 17, 18. Shows a lot of talent, but he's continued his development.
03:23He's won seven major trophies, including the Premier League, the Champions League and probably going to leave with a Premier League medal as well.
03:30There's definitely a mixed reaction.
03:33It will be interesting at games when he makes an injury return to see how supporters reacted to him if he gets on the pitch.
03:42Obviously, at the end of the season, if he's going to leave, what sort of reception he might get.
03:48As I say, there's definitely this mixed reaction. I don't think anyone's surprised that it is going to happen.
03:56But there's definitely two sides. Some people saying, wait, good luck.
04:01Others saying, you shouldn't be leaving your boyhood club on a free transfer for what they've done for him.
04:09Obviously, there's going to be a bit of a mixed reaction.
04:14Do you personally feel that he's in the ranks of possibly one of the greatest Premier League right-backs of all time?
04:21I suppose in terms of right-backs, you've probably got to put him up there in terms of sheer quality.
04:28Probably the right-backs you're thinking of up there are Gary Neville, Kyle Walker, etc.
04:35But if Trent Alexander-Arnold gets two Premier League medals, then you would have to think that he'd definitely be in the picture.
04:45He's in a new generation of right-backs. It's difficult to compare him to, say, a Gary Neville because they're completely different players.
04:54Trent Alexander-Arnold, his qualities have gone forwards, whereas right-backs of yesteryear were very much defensive-minded and that was their job.
05:05So it's almost at times like apples and oranges when you're comparing them.
05:11But he's almost been a trailblazer, hasn't he? The way he plays, that position, the way he comes inside, the way he takes the ball on,
05:20how much creativity he's given Liverpool from that position.
05:24So I think he's definitely got to be in the mix, but he's probably just short, as I say, like Gary Neville and Kyle Walker,
05:32and they're winners' medals, so they speak for themselves.