Why Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer decision should be EASY

Robin Bairner

• 2 Jan 2025 12:45 GMT
• 3 min read

Trent Alexander-Arnold faces the most important weeks of his professional career, with the Liverpool star very much at a crossroads.

Trent is out of contract at the end of June, at which point he is eligible to depart Liverpool as a free agent.

He is already able to open official contract talks with foreign clubs, with 1 January the magic date from which he has been able to hold discussions with rivals.

READ MORE: Five players who could join Liverpool in January

Real Madrid have been linked particularly heavily with the 26-year-old, with Los Blancos seeing Alexander-Arnold as a long-term solution to a right-back area that needs renovation as the ageing Dani Carvajal battles back from a long-term injury.

Barcelona have also been linked with an audacious swoop for the England international, and while the Blaugrana face the embarrassment of potentially having to release Dani Olmo because they cannot register him due to their ongoing financial issues, that situation may have changed by the summer.

For Trent Alexander-Arnold, though, the decision, if based purely on footballing reasons, should be a straightforward one.

Liverpool the best club for Trent

Trent Alexander-Arnold is best suited to playing for Liverpool and could face problems if he departs Anfield, according to data analytics firm SciSports, which has developed a Career Advice tool that uses an algorithm to determine the best locations for players based upon a myriad of factors.

For Alexander-Arnold, the message is clear: stay at Liverpool. It should be an easy decision for the star.

Liverpool achieve a Club Fit score of 86 for their academy product, which is far in advance of any other club.

Coming in second and third respectively are Manchester City and Arsenal, who each achieve a mark of 78. Neither of these teams can yet open talks with Trent.

Rounding out the top five options for him are Napoli on 76 and Atletico Madrid on 75.

How do Real Madrid and Barcelona fare?

Real Madrid and Barcelona are nowhere to be seen near the top of the rankings, and this is positive news for Liverpool as it should make Alexander-Arnold’s decision to remain an easier one.

Los Blancos come in 14th in terms of Trent’s best options, achieving a score of 70 in the Club Fit metrics. Playing time is a surprising concern of SciSports, while the playing style of Carlo Ancelotti’s side is another worry.

Barca score just 66. While Hansi Flick’s playing style and formation are considered to be an ideal fit for the player, there are concerns that his development might be stifled.