The love story between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool seems to have reached its final chapter. Despite being a homegrown talent, a club symbol, and a key figure in the Reds’ recent successes, the right-back has decided not to extend his contract and will leave Anfield at the end of the current season. His next destination, according to several sources close to the player, is expected to be none other than Real Madrid.

This news has sent shockwaves through the Liverpool fanbase. While some understand his decision as part of a new professional challenge, others feel betrayed, hoping that Alexander-Arnold would follow in the footsteps of club legends who spent their entire careers at Merseyside, such as Jamie Carragher.

Now a pundit for Sky Sports, Carragher spoke with visible emotion about the player’s departure. “He will lose part of the unconditional love from the fans. He’ll no longer be ‘one of their own,’” he stated, having spent his entire professional career with Liverpool between 1996 and 2013.

Though saddened, Carragher showed understanding: “He’s leaving on a free, but he also came through for free from the academy. He cost the club nothing and gave us a lot.” Still, he couldn’t hide his disappointment: “As a local player, it’s painful to think he doesn’t see Liverpool as enough—especially now, with the team competing among the top in Europe.”

Alexander-Arnold, now 26, has played over 350 matches for the club and won nine major trophies, including the Champions League and the Premier League. His leadership and deep connection to the club’s values had positioned him as a likely future captain, a role he had publicly expressed he desired.

Comparisons with other English stars such as David Beckham and Michael Owen, who also left England for Real Madrid, are inevitable. Carragher put it with a touch of sadness: “Players are even more cherished when they say they’d never play for anyone else. Alexander-Arnold made us believe he was one of those.”

With his departure, an era comes to a close at Liverpool. The big question now is whether his move to Real Madrid will become a reality. What is certain, however, is that his exit leaves a deep scar on the hearts of fans who watched him grow from boy to legend.