3 days ago
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Simon Jordan believes Trent Alexander-Arnold is 'fortunate' to be joining Real Madrid.
The talkSPORT co-host has given his immediate reaction to the news the right-back is set to leave Liverpool this summer.
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Alexander-Arnold has agreed to join the Spanish giants on a free transfer this summer, talkSPORT understands.
He will pen a five-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu worth in excess of £220,000-per-week.
The news comes as a massive blow to the Reds and Arne Slot's plans for next season.
However, Jordan admits that Alexander-Arnold has already shown 'loyalty' to his boyhood club after 21 years on their books.
He told White & Jordan: "There are some people that believe that you should actually tie yourself to one football club for the rest of your natural-born life if you happen to have come through their development and through their youth.
"In an ideal world, in a sentimental world, where those sorts of people live, that's a very interesting dynamic.
"In the real world, what players' responsibility is to be as loyal as their contract dictates and to do their jobs all the way through their contract.
"Trent Alexander-Arnold has done that."
Jordan added, though, that the 26-year-old can count himself lucky to be joining the 15-time Champions League winners.
He continued: "Do I think he's as good as people make him out to be? I don't think so. I think he's quite fortunate to be getting a move to Real Madrid.
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"I think he's a very good player, but I don't think he features regularly in the England side.
"I don't think he's an international player that the England set-up felt was the most reliable player to have in their set-up at times. And I think he's got a great move to Real Madrid.
"In terms of loyalty, people lose their minds over this nonsense. They lose their minds over what loyalty looks like.
"Your loyalty in football is to do your job under the auspices of your contract, not engineer outcomes that disadvantage your football club and not go on strike when you don't like something. Other than that, that's the length and breadth of it."
Alexander-Arnold was forced to withdraw from the England squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers, but already has 33 caps to his name.
He was also a part of the squad for last summer's Euros, making four appearances despite not featuring after the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk could still follow the full-back out of the door at the end of the season.
The pair are also out of contract at Anfield this summer, with the club yet to agree new deals with two of their most important players.
Jordan believes Salah and Van Dijk will renew their contracts, however, explaining: "I said a year ago, or at least at the start of this season that Trent would be going to Real Madrid, done deal.
"So, it's no surprise to me that that's the case. He's a going concern, he's a resalable asset, whereas Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are probably not as much."
The former Crystal Palace chairman added: "I think Salah will sign and I think Van Dijk will sign…I never thought that Trent would re-sign for Liverpool.
"The conundrum now for Liverpool is the disappointment.
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"They've taken a commercial view that to extract what they wanted from Trent was more valuable than getting a transfer fee earlier on in his contract."
Alexander-Arnold has helped the Reds to another Champions League final as well as three domestic cups since his last extension in 2021.
He is also set to win a second Premier League title this term, with Slot's side currently 12 points clear with nine matches remaining.
The defender has made 28 league appearances so far this season, scoring twice and adding six assists.
However, he is set to be out for a number of weeks after missing the Carabao Cup final with an ankle injury.
Alexander-Arnold is not yet expected to return to action before the visit of Tottenham on April 27.
