Trent Alexander-Arnold has caused a stir by saying he had been “waiting a long time” to join Real Madrid, and he has quickly sought to clarify his comments.
Having given a short speech in Spanish at his unveiling as a Madrid player, Alexander-Arnold took to the press conference stand where he said: “[It is] very very exciting for me.
“A day that I’ve been waiting for a long time now. Very excited, very happy, very proud to be here.
“It’s a dream to be here, but there’s still a lot of hard work to do and I’m excited to get started straightaway. It’s an exciting time for me.”
He later clarified his previous comment, explaining: “To clear that up, by ‘waiting a long time’ I mean, you know, a couple of weeks not years.”
Given it is the belief of many that the right-back had decided to leave Liverpool long before he reportedly told Arne Slot in March, the comment understandably caused a reaction.
His ability to give a speech in Spanish, albeit short, also suggested to supporters that he had been planning to move away for some time.
Of course, learning a new language shouldn’t be criticised, it should be encouraged, but the fact Alexander-Arnold said he had been practising for “a few months” added fuel to the fire that he wasn’t always fully focused on Liverpool’s title hunt.
“This doesn’t happen every day, it’s a dream come true and I’m very happy and proud to be here,” the 26-year-old said after his 20-year association with Liverpool officially came to an end.
“I want to show Real Madrid fans how I play; I’m going to give my all for the team and Real Madrid fans.
“I want to show those fans how I play, I want to win many titles and I want to be a winner here and enjoy playing alongside the many great players.”
Florentino Perez claims Real Madrid have “great relationship with Liverpool”
Also at the unveiling was Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who made a remark that certainly made supporters question his sincerity.
“We’ve signed a legend, one of the best in the world. Trent’s dream has come true. You have chosen to play for Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world,” said the businessman.
“We have a great relationship with Liverpool, they are our dear friends”.
That last line will surely be questioned by supporters who have seen Madrid beat the Reds seven times in the last 11 years, including in two Champions League finals.
Of course, Perez is more likely referring to the clubs’ directors maintaining an amicable relationship over the last few years, rather than trying to suggest the Kop look upon Los Blancos favourably.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was happy with Liverpool send-off
As we all know, Alexander-Arnold received a mixed reception at Anfield after announcing he would be leaving.
While some booed, others applauded him. However, for the final day of the season, most decided not to bother with either as Liverpool celebrated winning the title.
“It was always going to be emotional for me,” the new Madrid No. 12 said of his Reds exit.
“I felt like I went out in a way that I’m happy about, to be honest. The send-off that I got, the way the club treated me, the way the fans were as well was outstanding. I couldn’t say a bad word.
“Also, speaking to the players, obviously the players, the manager, the owners, they were all incredible as well, showed a lot of support. They were a huge help.
“We had an amazing conversation the last couple of days with the owners. They were very warm and welcoming, thanked me for everything I gave in service to the club.
“[They] wished me well on my future journey and what I want to do, and said I’ll always be welcome back at the club at any point.”
While they may have been the words coming from the owners’ mouths, we can expect a very different reception if he plays for Madrid at Anfield any time soon.
