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Madrid make Real bid for Trent!
22 Plays5 days ago
Contract news update! Real Madrid have made their first move in what promises to be a drawn out tug of war between the Reds and Madrid over the future of Trent Alexander Arnold.
Join us as we talk about the contract situation, what this first bid means for Liverpool and what impact could this have on what has been a great season so far.
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Transcript
Introduction and Liverpool's Season Overview
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Liverpool Podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm Jesse Sawa. It is Thursday the 2nd of January. I hope you had a good New Year's Day and you've made all your positive resolutions for the year ahead. It looks like it could be an excellent 2025 for the Reds as we sit top of the Premier League and the Champions League. A League Cup semi-final to look forward to and the FA Cup will be kicking off in the next week or so.
00:00:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
So plenty of football for us to look forward to. But before we dive into today's episode, a quick message.
Real Madrid's Interest in Trent Alexander Arnold
00:01:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, so let's look at the latest contract news. The big development has been in the last 24 hours or so. Real Madrid have made contact with Liverpool FC for the availability of Trent Alexander Arnold. Of course, Spanish club's interest in our right back is well documented. It's probably the worst kept secret in football. So what does this mean? Does it change anything?
00:01:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the question you naturally ask is why are Real Madrid making this inquiry when as of January the 1st, which was yesterday, they can sign Trent on a free transfer for the summer.
00:02:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It could be that Madrid are obviously in urgent need of a right back after the serious injury to Danny Carvajal, an ACL injury that has ruled him out for the rest of the season. I suppose if they get Trent in now, it will be the lift that they need for the second half of the season, a part of the season where they traditionally come to life, especially in the Champions League,
00:02:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
the They would have to pay a fee, albeit a relatively small one, for a player of Trent's profile and calibre.
Liverpool's Dilemma: To Sell or Not to Sell?
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Some reports in Spain have suggested that rail have gone in with a £20m bid. Naturally, that has apparently and unsurprisingly been flatly rejected by Liverpool.
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think there's an element here of Rael just being Rael flexing their muscles and basically telling Liverpool openly and publicly that they are after their right back. Whether that's for a fee, you know, whether it's 20 million pounds or 50 million pounds or on a free transfer, it's a signal that we're coming for him.
00:03:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think there's also an element of trying to destabilise Liverpool at a crucial stage of the season. Let's not forget that Liverpool comprehensively beat Real Madrid at Anfield in the Champions League back in November. And the kind of form that Liverpool are in, they see, and probably like the rest of Europe, see Liverpool as a genuine rival for this season's Champions League crown. So this is classic Real Madrid tactics.
00:03:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, Liverpool have, as I've mentioned, reportedly rejected the bid of £20m, but I'm wondering what happens if they bid higher. Liverpool are in a tricky position because they want to signal to their own player, to Trent, that they want him and rejecting that £20m out of hand, that goes some way to doing that.
00:04:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But what if Liverpool set a deliberately high value on Trent in an attempt to ward off Madrid? Let's just say £100 million. pounds And Real will come back with that bid. Do Liverpool accept that bid? Thinking that Trent is likely to leave for nothing and getting £100 million pounds would soften that blow.
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It would also give Trent the cover to say, well, look, it's the club does it that's accepted the bid, so I'm off. So plenty to consider there for Liverpool. Time for another very quick break and we'll be back after this brief message.
Evaluating Trent's Value and Replacement
00:05:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now with this news that Real have approached Liverpool and I suppose the the ongoing saga of Trent not actually signing a new contract. There are some pundits and commentators in the media. I've seen that have said that Liverpool should take the 20 million pounds as it's better to get something rather than nothing, which is exactly what Liverpool would get at the end of the season if he leaves for free.
00:06:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the balancing act that Liverpool have to make is what what is the worth to the club, to to the team this season of taking let's say 20 million pounds, 25, even let's say 30 million pounds for such a valued member of the first team.
00:06:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's probably better to keep Trent, even if it means him leaving for nothing. Keep that dressing room together, keep it united, keep it stable while they fight on all fronts for silverware. We're in a great position the Premier League, a great position. I won't say that it's done and dusted, absolutely not. The league is never done and dusted in January. Things can change very, very quickly.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we've put ourselves in a really good position. We're in rude health when it comes to the Champions League, unbeaten in the Champions League. I just don't see any value in taking 20 million pounds and then sending such a negative signal to the rest of the team in terms of the ambitions of the club going forward. And the ambitions for this season, you know focus on Trent getting signed up.
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if not, if he you know if if he rejects it, fine. you know All hands to the pump in a bid to win some major prizes this season. And if that is not enough to persuade Trent to stay, honestly, no problem. Off you go. Conor Bradley is more than capable of being a world-class fullback.
00:07:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
If truth be told, he's probably a better tactical fit for the team under Ani's slot than Trent is, which is why I don't feel as bad about this situation as I do about the Mohammed Salah and Virgil van Dyck situations. Don't get me wrong.
00:08:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not to say that I don't care about Trent leaving or worse still, I want him to leave. There's no team, no manager that wants to lose a player of Trent's quality because he is he is a generational talent. he He's completely transformed the role of a fallback.
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's the reason why Real Madrid want him. Real Madrid don't go for your average player. They go for absolute world-class talent and that's what he is. But I don't think it spells disaster for Liverpool in pure footballing terms.
Contract Management Criticism
00:08:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do think it's a PR disaster for FSG that they allowed the contract of their most prized asset to run down like this.
00:08:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
It goes against everything that we know about FSG or that they like to project about themselves. That they are, for yeah for better or worse, very, very shrewd owners of the club. And that their main focus is to make the club sustainable, which which we are. it's well run, that it's a well run business.
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, what well-run business allows its most valued asset to walk away for nothing? How could FSG allow Trent Alexander Arnold? How could they allow his contract to go beyond that two-year point? when When it's two years left on the contract, that's when you go in And that's when you extend the contract. and And I have absolutely no doubts.
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
that two years ago, Trent Alexander Arnold would have signed an extended contract. And that would have protected the club. It protects the asset. It protects the value of the player. And if this season, at the end of this season, Trent did want to go to Real Madrid for whatever reason, a new experience, which is completely understandable. with The guy's been at the club since he was, I don't know, seven years old. I think he's been there for about 20 years. It's completely normal.
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
for for so for a player to think, you know, i want to try something different. I know it's difficult for us as supporters and for fans to imagine anyone walking away from from Liverpool because we we are invested in the club for life. as As soon as we start supporting this club, that's it. That's who we support.
00:10:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, come hell or high water, that's the club that we support, you know, till the day that we die. But it's not the case for professional footballers, professional footballers, no matter how much they love the club, they are professionals. And just like in our workplace, if we get a great offer somewhere else, we may feel some kind of loyalty to a place that we work for for like, you know, 10 plus years.
00:11:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if a ah ah ah really good offer comes and it might be overseas, you might want to try something new that is completely normal. But but for FSG to allow that, I think it's it's it' such bad management. it's It's negligent. And I think if they had signed him up a couple of years ago, an extended contract, I think at the end of this season, if he did leave, you would then secure that 100 million pound plus figure that would have sweetened any exit. And that would have been put into Arnie Slott's war chest, as it were, for the summer, you know, to strengthen the team, hopefully strengthen as champions.
Trent's Uncertain Future and Episode Conclusion
00:11:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think that's where we are at at the moment. It's going to be a game of cat and mouse, I think, or January over the Trent situation. Unless, of course, and this is not beyond the realms of possibility.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
that Liverpool managed to tie him down to a new contract. I still think that there is a possibility, although I think that that i think it's getting slimmer by the day. At the moment, I'd i'd call it a 75-25, 75 that Trent leaves. But so we shall see, and obviously we'll keep you updated on this podcast as soon as any news breaks and all the views and the analysis that goes with that.
00:12:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
A short episode today after yesterday's marathon episode, the title race special. If you haven't checked that out, please do so. I'm joined by colleagues from the daily Manchester City podcast, the daily Arsenal podcast, and the daily Nottingham Forest podcast teams to discuss the title race so far.
00:12:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that is all for today. You've been listening to the Daily Liverpool podcast, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. Give us a follow that you so that you get the very latest content when it drops. You can follow us on social media at GSP and Liverpool. And you can email us GSP and Daily Liverpool at Gmail.com. Join us again tomorrow for our big build up to Sunday's Premier League clash against arch rivals Manchester United.
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until then, thank you for listening.