Liverpool confirmed that Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave the club at the end of his contract next month, paving the way for a free transfer to Real Madrid.

The saga has dragged on all season, with Alexander-Arnold nearing the end of his Anfield deal and resisting a new contract to move towards free agency.

"I think first and foremost, I want to say it's not an easy decision and there's a lot of thought and feeling that has gone into it. I've been here 20 years now, loved every single minute of it, achieved all my dreams, achieved everything I've ever wanted to here," Alexander-Arnold said.

"Giving everything day in, day out for 20 years, I've got to a point now where I feel like I need a new change, a new challenge for me as a player and as a person. And I think now is the right time for me to do that."

Alexander-Arnold made his Liverpool debut as a teenager in 2016 and recently surpassed 350 appearances for the club. He will leave Anfield, having won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

The 26-year-old has been courted by Real Madrid over several months, with the Spanish giants even making a low-ball January approach following Dani Carvajal's long-term injury. He is expected to land a pay rise in Madrid, but won't challenge the club's highest earners.

As a free agent, Alexander-Arnold would not be able to formally join Madrid until 1 July, which means he would not be able to take part in the upcoming expanded and reformatted FIFA Club World Cup.

However, it has been claimed in Spain that he could still join earlier, during the exceptional transfer window establshed by FIFA. Alexander-Arnold would have to forgo his Liverpool wages for the month of June, while the club could accept a nominal transfer fee.

Liverpool are expected to promote from within, rather than dip into the transfer market for a replacement, placing faith in Conor Bradley.

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