Trent Alexander-Arnold has announced he is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, paving the way for a summer move to Real Madrid.
The England defender's current deal with the newly crowned Premier League champions ends this summer and he has long been linked with a switch to the Spanish capital.
Alexander-Arnold described the call to end his 20-year association with Liverpool as “easily the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life” saying he felt the time was right “to experience a new challenge”.
The 26-year-old has made 352 appearances for the Merseyside club, scoring 23 goals and supplying 92 assists, winning the Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, Uefa Champions League, two Premier League titles, as well as the FA Cup and League Cup, along the way.
This season, he has helped guide Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight crown, matching the total of bitter rivals Manchester United.
“I know many of you have wondered why or been frustrated that I haven’t spoken about this yet, but it was always my intention to keep my full focus on the team’s best interests, which was securing No. 20,” he said in a post on X.
"This club has been my whole life – my whole world – for 20 years. From the academy right through until now, the support and love I have felt from everyone inside and outside of the club will stay with me forever.
“I will forever be in debt to you all. But, I have never known anything else and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge, taking myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally.”
The futures of Alexander-Arnold, captain Virgil van Dijk and star attacker Mohamed Salah had been a source of relentless speculation this season with the contracts of all three due to end this summer.
But while Van Dijk and Salah decided to prolong their Liverpool careers, Alexander-Arnold has called time on his and is set for a fresh new chapter in his career, almost certainly at 15-time European champions Real Madrid.
He is set to join England teammate Jude Bellingham in the Spanish capital while also following in the footsteps of Steve McManaman and Michael Owen who made the move from Liverpool to Madrid in 1999 and 2004, respectively.
“There’s a lot I would like to say,” Alexander-Arnold added, directly addressing the Liverpool fans. “The main thing is a massive thank you. You guys have been there from the start with me, you guys have supported me, been there.
“I’ve felt the support, the love, everything that you guys have done has never been unnoticed by me, I’ve loved every single minute of it. I hope they have felt that has been reciprocated and that I’ve given everything I could to the club.
“I’m just hoping that we’re able to carry on winning games, the noise [around my decision] doesn’t take away from the fact of what we’ve achieved this season.
“It has been an amazing season. It has been amazing to be part of it and I just hope that everyone is able to maybe not dwell on this news for too long and be able to celebrate what the rest of the lads have done.”
Liverpool said in statement on the club website that Alexander-Arnold “will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for his contribution during a sustained period of success”.
The Merseysiders currently lead second-placed Arsenal at the top of the table by 15 points, despite losing 3-1 at Chelsea on Sunday in what was only their third league defeat this season.
They have three more games to play, at home to the Gunners on Sunday, followed by Brighton away and then Crystal Palace at home which should see Alexander-Arnold play his final game at Anfield in Liverpool colours.
