Jamie Carragher believes Trent Alexander-Arnold or his representatives encouraged Real Madrid to bid for him last week.
Madrid tabled a £20million offer last week to bring him immediately to the Santiago Bernabeu rather than wait until summer for his contract to expire, but the Reds rejected it.
And Carragher says there is no way Los Blancos would have submitted an offer unless they had had some form of assurance that the star would be interested in joining.
He was speaking after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United, a match where the right-back was criticised for his performance, with manager Arne Slot forced to deny suggestions that he had been distracted by Madrid’s advance.
‘They’re bullies, Real Madrid. My problem with it is, they have bid on the back of Trent Alexander-Arnold or his agent saying “put a bid in”. Because they wouldn’t put a bid in, they wouldn’t do that unless they get the say so,’ Carragher told the Gary Neville Podcast.
‘But all those parties know Liverpool are going to turn that down anyway, so what are you trying to create? What noise are you (trying to make)? Liverpool are not going to sell Trent in January going for a league title.
Trent Alexander-Arnold or his camp must have told Real Madrid to bid, says Jamie Carragher
Madrid saw a £20million offer rejected last week for the star whose contract is up this summer
Madrid would not have bid without assurances that the star wants to join, Carragher thinks
‘What I’m saying is, let’s not be naive here. No one puts bids in now unless they’ve already spoken to the player about it. If it gets accepted, would you come? People know before they put bids in.
‘And there’s obviously been talks. I’ve got no problem with that – that’s the nature of the game. Trent’s contract situation, I’m sure he’s in talks with Real Madrid and maybe other players and he’s got a decision to make.
‘I think for that to come out when it did, I was not happy about that at all. For me, we’re probably not the best people to speak to about this because we’ve never been involved in a transfer and we’re probably two of the biggest club men who always put the club first.
‘But I just think, the situation Liverpool are in, there’s no way an agent or Trent Alexander-Arnold don’t know that bid is going in before it goes in. And if you don’t want that to go in, you say no.’
Alexander-Arnold was roundly criticised for his display against United, with Roy Keane slamming him for ‘schoolboy’ defending and joking he would be better off joining Tranmere Rovers. The defender gave away the ball ahead of Lisandro Martinex’s opening goal.
Manager Slot said that defending against Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot was the issue – not being distracted by Madrid’s overtures.
Gary Neville was unsure that the player or his camp had told Madrid to bid, but labelled the offer ‘insulting’ and claimed Alexander-Arnold would be naive if he did expect to leave mid-season.
‘Bidding £20million for him is taking the ****. I’ll be honest with you, it’s insulting. There’s a certain respect that should happen between big clubs,’ he said.
Arne Slot defender his star after a tricky match, saying he was not distracted by the offer
Carlo Ancelotti would rather sign the defender now than the summer due to an injury crisis
Gary Neville said the £20m offer was ‘insulting’ and could sour relations between the clubs
‘You know when you bid £20m for that player, you know a club like Liverpool are not going to accept that bid. So you’re almost in some ways insulting them, you are.
‘That’s quite some thing to say, that Trent Alexander-Arnold or his people have told Madrid to put a bid in.
‘From Trent Alexander-Arnold’s perspective, he would be completely naive to think Liverpool are going to let him go mid-season because the message that would send to everybody would be wrong.’
Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool at the age of six and has achieved all of the major honours in the shirt, rising to the vice-captaincy behind Virgil van Dijk.
Carragher says he would not begrudge the 26-year-old wanting to go and experience life in a different country and with another footballing superpower.
He did, however, reveal his one ‘disappointment’ in the star.
‘When I look at Trent, the way he dresses, the places he goes on holiday, he’s got that sort of David Beckham feel about him, he has got that,’ he said.
‘There’s a little bit of criticism that he might leave for free – I can assure you that doesn’t bother me because he came for free. That’s like us selling Van Dijk for £75m – I’m not too fussed about that. And you know what, it’s his life, if he wants to go to Madrid.
Carragher understands why Alexander-Arnold would want a different experience abroad, but says he could build a great legacy as a local hero if he stays at Anfield
‘My one disappointment is, as a local player and a Liverpool supporter, you’re in a position now to play for a team who could go level with Manchester United in league titles.
‘You could be the guy who lifts a Premier League title in two or three years’ time when Virgil van Dijk goes on. You could be the guy who wins us another two European Cups.
‘So the feeling with Liverpool supporters is that it can’t get any better right now at Liverpool in terms of top of the table, top of the Champions League. If you’re a fan, every supporter is thinking: ‘”you’re me on the pitch.”
‘That’s the way I felt. When I was on the pitch, I was embodying what the supporters were in the stands. So the frustration is, this can’t get any better.
‘The feeling in Liverpool is, why is a local player who loves this club as a supporter, can help this club go to another level successfully, can captain the club, is going to be paid great money and good luck to him, why do you want to leave?
‘That’s where the frustration comes from for me as a local player. For me, in his position, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.’
