Michael Owen sides with Trent Alexander-Arnold over Liverpool fans who ‘never get it’

Michael Owen has explained how the ugly reaction from certain Liverpool fans after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer to Real Madrid rubbed him the wrong way, insisting that fans “will never get it”

Michael Owen has criticised supporters who turned on Trent Alexander-Arnold as he switched from Liverpool to Real Madrid. He also insists that fans “will never get it” when it comes to player loyalty in football.

The former England striker has defended the right-back’s decision to leave Anfield after Alexander-Arnold chose not to extend his contract beyond its final 12 months during last season’s Premier League title triumph. Alexander-Arnold ultimately rejected a new deal with the Reds, instead choosing to advance his career with the Spanish giants.

Liverpool managed to pocket £10million for their 26-year-old academy graduate by allowing him to complete his transfer early, enabling him to feature for Real in the Club World Cup. However, supporters voiced their frustration with Alexander-Arnold’s choice to join the La Liga powerhouses rather than remain faithful to his boyhood club.

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The defender endured a hostile reception during Liverpool’s home clash with Arsenal in May – his first appearance following the announcement of his departure – while social media was flooded with criticism from disgruntled supporters. Owen, who similarly departed Liverpool for the Bernabeu, has voiced his discontent at the backlash Alexander-Arnold received.

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the 45-year-old said: “I didn’t like it. I understand it, of course. We understand it because we live it and we’ve lived it all our life and we’re in and around football.

“But fans will never get it because they’ve got a badge there and until the day they die, they will always support that badge. And no matter what the club do, they might do wrong.

“And a lot of clubs do do wrong to their players and things like that. They will never have a crossword against their club. Now, it’s our career, it’s our life.”

Owen also brought up Jack Grealish’s 2021 move from Aston Villa to Manchester City as another instance of a player who has been criticised for leaving his childhood club. He continued: “And I go back to someone like Jack Grealish.

“The Aston Villa fans booed him and are quite nasty actually to this day against him. And I couldn’t believe when I was watching him play against them and it made me feel physically sick.

“Here’s a kid that’s been there since he was a baby, like seven or something. Come through the ranks, they were rubbish. They were in the Championship. He’s literally, I don’t care.”

He added: “Dragged up single-handedly. Literally, if ever there’s been a one-man team in the last 15 years in football, I would say it was him at Villa. Dragged them up single-handedly, capped in the team, 100 million.

“He’s gone… like, if he didn’t do that, if he said no to Manchester City, what would our game be like? What would football be like? It’d be rubbish. Everyone moans about that it’s for money all the time.

“Here’s people that actually show a bit of something. A bit of risk. New language, new teammates, new country, new food, new weather, new everything. It’s like a big risk. He could have sat there and so could have Jack Grealish, so could have you and so could have loads of people.

“But imagine what the game would be like if we didn’t have these people that actually try to make something of their lives. I’m having a conversation with you about playing for Real Madrid with some of the great players. I’ve had an experience in my life.”

Liverpool swiftly moved to snap up Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong as Alexander-Arnold’s successor, triggering his £29.5m release clause to bring him to Anfield before launching a summer of substantial investment on Merseyside. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold has flourished under Xabi Alonso at the Bernabeu, contributing to each of his new club’s three La Liga victories this campaign.

Listen to the full Rio Meets Michael Owen interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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