I would take Trent Alexander-Arnold back at Liverpool.
Not at any price, and not with a guaranteed place in the team. But if he wanted to return and a sensible deal could be agreed, I would welcome him in a red shirt again.
I know some supporters will strongly disagree. The manner of his departure hurt, and his connection to Liverpool made it harder to accept. He was one of our own, a player many imagined would eventually captain the club.
Those feelings deserve respect. They should not, however, settle a footballing decision before Liverpool have even considered it.
Jamie Carragher would have him back. On this, I agree.
Carragher is right to raise the question
Speaking on The Overlap’s Fan Debate, in comments reported by This Is Anfield on 27 October, Carragher said: “I’d have him back anyway, even though I gave him plenty of stick.”
His argument centred on creativity from full-back. He praised Ronald Araújo while pointing to the passing Liverpool have lost since Alexander-Arnold left.
That is a fair distinction. Admiring Araújo does not mean pretending he and Trent offer the same things. Liverpool can value defensive strength and still want greater invention from that side of the pitch.
But we should be clear about what this discussion is. Carragher expressing a preference is not evidence of a transfer being arranged. Nor does his interpretation of Trent’s place in Madrid’s pecking order prove the club want to sell him.
Indeed, Guillem Balagué has told talkSPORT that Alexander-Arnold intends to stay at Real Madrid in January and fight for his place. There is no confirmed Liverpool approach in the reporting examined here.
I am arguing for Liverpool to consider an opportunity if it arises, not suggesting that a homecoming is imminent.
We know what his passing can do
Alexander-Arnold registered 64 assists in 259 Premier League appearances for Liverpool. Those numbers cannot promise what he would produce in a second spell. They do explain why I find it so difficult to dismiss the idea.
The Barcelona corner will always be the moment everyone remembers. But that corner apart, who can forget his ball to Andy Robertson against Manchester City at Anfield in November 2019? Trent switched the play, Robbo delivered and Salah headed home. Three players, one glorious move, and City pulled apart. I loved watching that Liverpool team, and Trent’s passing was a huge part of the joy. Robertson got the assist, but it was Trent who opened up the pitch. That is the player I remember in a red shirt.
It was the speed of the thought as much as the execution. One pass and an opponent had an entirely different problem to solve.
That is the quality I would want back. The early delivery before a defence is set. The switch that finds a winger with room to attack. The ball into a forward’s run that others might see a second too late.
I can imagine Alexander Isak making those runs. I can imagine Florian Wirtz benefiting from another player able to find him beyond the opposition’s first line of pressure. Those are appealing possibilities, even if neither partnership could be taken for granted.
Of course, Liverpool cannot recreate Jürgen Klopp’s team by bringing back one of its best players. Nor should they try. The question is whether Trent’s qualities could improve the team Andoni Iraola is building now. I believe they could.
Wanting Trent back does not mean dismissing Araújo
I have just written about the value of Araújo’s performance against Brighton. His aggression, persistence and defensive work gave Liverpool plenty to appreciate. He also helped create the opening goal.
Nothing about wanting Trent back requires me to retreat from that assessment.
Araújo should not be reduced to a defender who clears the ball, just as Alexander-Arnold should not be treated as a highlights reel with no defensive responsibilities. Both deserve a more serious assessment.
Different matches ask different questions. Sometimes Liverpool need greater security on the right. Sometimes they need someone who can change the direction of an attack before the opposition can shuffle across.
Having options is useful. Promising any player that he will start regardless of form or opposition is not.
A return would have to work for today’s Liverpool
The strongest objections are footballing and financial, and they cannot be brushed aside.
Trent would still have to track runners, respond when possession is lost and defend his side of the pitch. A wonderful pass does not cancel out a defensive mistake.
Iraola would need a clear plan for him: where he receives the ball, when he advances and who covers behind him. If the manager did not believe the balance would work, I would not want a reunion imposed on him.
His difficulties in Madrid also need examining rather than explaining away. Real’s official team sheet for Sunday’s Clásico placed Alexander-Arnold among the substitutes, with Federico Valverde starting. Being left out of a game of that size is a setback. It is not, on its own, a verdict on everything he can still offer.
Liverpool would need to assess his fitness, his recent performances and why he has struggled for opportunities. Familiarity must not become an excuse to skip the scrutiny applied to any other signing.
Then there is the price. His Madrid contract runs until June 2031. Liverpool should not pay an excessive fee or upset their wage structure because a reunion would make a compelling story.
I want a player who improves Liverpool, on terms that make sense. There are circumstances in which the right answer would still be no.
I would judge him on what comes next
I would not ask anyone to pretend the departure did not hurt. Football means too much for feelings to be switched off simply because a transfer might be useful.
But I would not demand a public humiliation before allowing him back either. What I would want is a player who chose Liverpool wholeheartedly and understood that he had something to earn.
Trust would come through his performances, his effort and how he conducted himself. His old standing would not be handed back with his shirt.
For my part, I do not want to spend years hoping a player who gave us so many wonderful moments fails somewhere else. I would much rather think about whether he could give us a few more.
If he stays in Madrid, Liverpool move on. If the deal is wrong, they walk away. But if he wants to return, Iraola wants him and the terms are right, I would take him back.
I can still picture that ball to Robertson. I would love to see what the next one could lead to.
