Liverpool’s Anfield stadium will welcome back one of its most gifted homegrown talents this week, but it is unlikely to be a straightforward reunion. Trent Alexander-Arnold will return to the place where he broke through as a teenager, now wearing the colours of Real Madrid after his summer exit.
Alexander-Arnold spent his entire youth career and early first-team years at Liverpool, rising through the academy and becoming a key part of the club’s success under Jürgen Klopp and now under Arne Slot. He helped deliver two Premier League titles, a Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup.
His decision to depart in 2025 after a contract dispute and a desire for a new challenge shocked many in Liverpool’s fanbase, who had celebrated him as “the Scouser in our team”. The reaction to his departure was mixed, and when he appeared as a substitute in May 2025 he was booed by sections of the crowd.
Now, wearing the white of Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold comes back to Anfield in a Champions League tie. For Liverpool, the stakes extend beyond pride: his absence has exposed deeper issues. The Reds have undergone a major summer rebuild, reportedly spending over £450 million, but still their form has faltered, suffering several defeats and a dip in attacking impetus. The creative spark that Alexander-Arnold supplied from right-back, often acting as both defender and playmaker, is widely viewed as missing.
Former Liverpool and England defender Stephen Warnock remarked that the void left by Alexander-Arnold is real: “Yes, 100 % they are missing Trent,” he said. Trainers and analysts believe his ability to link defence and attack, his passing range and also his threat over the top all made him exceptional and replicating that is not straightforward.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot spoke ahead of the game, saying he held “only positive” memories of Alexander-Arnold but admitted he did not know what reception his former player would receive from the fans.
For Alexander-Arnold, this is more than a match: it is a chance to demonstrate the role he played at Liverpool, and to highlight the difference between past and present versions of the club. For Liverpool’s supporters, it is an opportunity to gauge whether absence really has made the heart grow fonder, or if the club has already moved on.
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