Steve McManaman tells Trent Alexander-Arnold what he must do next after leaving Liverpool

Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will be ending his 20-year association with Liverpool at the end of the season, with the expectation that he will join Real Madrid

The link and rivalry between Liverpool and Real Madrid is well established. Maybe it is why some Liverpool fans find it so hard to accept that Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving Anfield for the Bernabeu.

The legacy of a simmering feud between supporters of two of European football’s super powers is a sense of bitterness and jealousy.

It dates all the way back to John Toshack who had eight years as a player at Anfield in the 1970s, felt aggrieved at being passed over as Liverpool manager for Joe Fagan in 1983 and got the Real Madrid job further down the line instead.

Michael Owen went to Real Madrid for a cut-price £8m fee in 2004 and still has a complicated relationship with the Liverpool fanbase to this day. But Steve McManaman is the one whose departure closest resembles to Alexander-Arnold and that is the reason why some fans will find it hard to forgive and forget this time around.

McManaman was one of the most high-profile Bosman-style free transfers when he left Liverpool as a free agent in 1999 to join Real Madrid on a mega contract. England star McManaman became the biggest earner in Spain on a reputed £65,000-a-week, won two Champions League titles, two La Liga titles and is still remembered fondly in Madrid.

READ MORE: Jamie Carragher makes Arsenal and Man Utd point as Trent Alexander-Arnold response explainedREAD MORE: Trent Alexander-Arnold ‘already regretting’ Liverpool exit as key sign spotted by expert

McManaman insists that Liverpool still has a bigger place in his heart – albeit only just – and yet he will never be remembered in the same way as a hero like Steven Gerrard. That will be the same for Alexander-Arnold who, despite winning trophies and being a product of the club’s academy and the self-proclaimed “Scouser in the team”, finds himself in a similar situation.

The fans revelled in Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah signing new deals but were resigned to losing Alexander-Arnold and, for many, there is an escapable sense of resentment.

Alexander-Arnold will probably be appreciated more at Real Madrid for his flair and creativity than in English football because, while Liverpool fans respected his ability as a player, others seemed to focus on what he couldn’t do rather than what he could.

McManaman, now a respected TV pundit with TNT Sports, says the first thing that Alexander-Arnold must do to ensure he is a success in Spain is really quite simple. He told ESPN: “The simple thing is to learn the language as soon as possible.

“When I was at Madrid, not necessarily the club but the city, no-one spoke English. Of course it’s a lot more open now and a lot more people do speak English now, of course they do, it’s a main capital city.

“But I think if you want to get on with the Brazilians, if you want to get on with the people, if you want to get things done, if you want to pay your electricity bill.

“Of course you can always people helping you, but I don’t see the point in going to a new country, a new city, learning a new culture, a new lifestyle and not learning the language. You have to throw yourself into it wholeheartedly.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.