England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has announced he will leave Premier League champions Liverpool at the end of the season, bringing an end to a two-decade association with the club.
The 26-year-old, who joined Liverpool’s academy at the age of six, confirmed on social media that he will depart when his contract expires on 30 June.
He is widely expected to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.
“After 20 years at Liverpool Football Club, now is the time for me to confirm that I will be leaving at the end of the season,” Alexander-Arnold wrote. “This is easily the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life.”
His departure comes as part of a summer of change at Anfield. While fellow stars Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have recently signed new deals, Alexander-Arnold has opted for a new challenge elsewhere.
Since making his senior debut in 2016, the Liverpool-born defender has made 352 appearances, scoring 23 goals and providing 86 assists.
He has been a key figure during one of the club’s most successful eras, winning this season’s league title under new head coach Arne Slot, as well as the 2019–20 Premier League crown under Jürgen Klopp.
Alexander-Arnold’s trophy haul also includes the 2018–19 Champions League, the 2022 FA Cup, and two League Cups.
“This club has been my whole life – my whole world – for 20 years,” he said. “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.”
He added that his decision was motivated by a desire to “experience a new challenge, take myself out of my comfort zone, and push myself both professionally and personally.”
Liverpool acknowledged his departure with a statement expressing “gratitude and appreciation for his contribution during a sustained period of success.”
