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A heartfelt farewell and a respectful tone from Liverpool chairman Tom Werner after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid, as the club braces for a new era at right-back with Frimpong and Bradley.
5 minutes
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Following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer to Real Madrid, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner broke his silence, expressing respect for the player’s decision and underlining how emotional the farewell was for the club.
Despite having months left on his contract, Alexander-Arnold chose to leave Liverpool and start a new chapter in his career.
While some fans criticised the decision, the club took it in stride.
The transfer was completed for a low fee, as Real Madrid wanted the player available in time for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Recalling special moments with the player, Werner said:
“On the final weekend of the season, Billy Hogan and I met with Trent. He showed me a photo from when he was seven years old at the academy. That moment reminded me how deep this story runs. I wanted to thank him on behalf of the club. What he’s done in a Liverpool shirt will always mean a great deal to us.”
Werner, acknowledging the fans’ disappointment, also reminded that Alexander-Arnold has left an indelible mark on Liverpool’s history:
“I’ll never forget that corner against Barcelona. The way he took advantage of the opponents’ lapse and delivered that assist — it showed just how high his football IQ really is.”
In the 2024/25 season, Alexander-Arnold played 44 matches for Liverpool in all competitions. He finished the season with four goals and eight assists, contributing to double figures in goal involvements.
Liverpool ended the season as Premier League champions. His personal performances and the fact that he left as a champion made the farewell even more emotional.
In total, the English star played 354 official matches for Liverpool, scoring 23 goals and recording 92 assists.
Following Alexander-Arnold’s departure, Liverpool reshaped their right-back options. Jeremie Frimpong was signed from Bayer Leverkusen for €40 million specifically for that position.
The new season is expected to see a fierce competition for the right-back spot between Frimpong and academy product Conor Bradley.
With Frimpong’s arrival, a completely new type of right-back enters the picture. Throughout his career, Trent Alexander-Arnold stood out not with athleticism but with top-level technique, extraordinary vision, and passing range. He could drop deep to dictate play and deliver pinpoint passes behind the defence without even reaching the byline. His set-piece mastery was another key aspect of his influence on the pitch.
Frimpong, on the other hand, brings an entirely different skillset. His standout qualities include explosive pace, powerful dribbling, and threatening off-the-ball runs into the box. With sudden sprints, he disrupts opposition left-backs and gains positional superiority at a speed few defenders can match. Rather than hugging the touchline, he often attacks through the inner channels, turning into more of a final-third threat than a traditional full-back.
Trent often slowed down play to control tempo and influence direction with intelligence. Frimpong increases the pace, stretches the defence, and brings constant movement. These traits, developed under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, make him a strong fit for Arne Slot’s high-tempo, transition-based system at Liverpool.
In Slot’s system, Frimpong’s role on the right wing could be balanced by new signing Milos Kerkez on the left. Kerkez’s directness and offensive intent, paired with Frimpong’s penetrating runs into the box, could make Liverpool’s flanks far more aggressive and dynamic. This structure could offer both width and central space exploitation, increasing the team’s attacking variety.
Another advantage Frimpong brings is his ability to recover quickly when playing in a high defensive line. His athleticism helps him recover lost positions fast and intercept counter-attacks before they develop, thanks to sharp reflexes and strong defensive instincts.
Frimpong’s arrival is more than just a personnel change — it marks a fundamental shift in the way Liverpool view the right-back position. It’s a move from a build-up orchestrator to an off-the-ball threat. This evolution makes his rivalry with Conor Bradley all the more intriguing and allows Liverpool’s right side to adapt flexibly depending on form and tactical demands throughout the season.
The reunion marks a symbolic crossroads in the journeys of both men — a new era for Alexander-Arnold and a step to the summit of coaching for Alonso.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is currently representing Real Madrid at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. He has featured in all three group stage matches, playing a total of 233 minutes. Real Madrid are set to face Juventus in the round of 16.
Under Xabi Alonso’s 4-1-2-3 system at Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold operates as a key outlet in the team’s right-sided build-up. With most attacking sequences initiated from the right, he serves as a deep-lying distributor, linking phases and shaping tempo. While Fran García advances high on the left as a classic overlapping full-back, Alexander-Arnold often tucks inside to provide balance and control in central areas. This role echoes his inverted positioning at Liverpool, now adapted to the tactical structure Alonso has implemented in Madrid.
