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Steven Gerrard has confessed that he wouldn't have departed Liverpool in the same manner as Trent Alexander-Arnold. After spending two decades with the Reds, the right-back made a move to Real Madrid during the summer.
Real were so eager to secure the England international for the Club World Cup that they shelled out a lump sum of $12 million (€10M) and took on the burden of the player's wages for June, rather than waiting to sign the defender for free on June 30.
However, Alexander-Arnold's decision didn't sit well with some Liverpool fans. He was met with boos when he came on as a substitute in Liverpool's game against Arsenal last season, which directly followed the confirmation of his departure from the club.
In response to the transfer, Gerrard stated: "If I take my Liverpool hat off, I think any player in the game when Barcelona and Real Madrid come, it's going to turn your head.
"This is me speaking without my Liverpool hat on at the moment. Real Madrid came for me with Mourinho, serious. And it turned my head.
"It didn't get as much traction and noise as Chelsea because it was shut down pretty quick because of the timing of it and what Real Madrid wanted me to do to manufacture that.
"So it never got the traction or the noise, but it turned my head. It turned my head, for sure. It's Real Madrid. So without my Liverpool hat on, Real Madrid and Barcelona, whether you like it or not, if you're a United fan, Liverpool fan, they're two humongous clubs.
"And when they come, it's going to turn your head. No matter who you are, it's going to turn your head. Or you're not. You're not human. They're going to turn your head.
"So I can understand it from being in Trent's shoes. I can understand it. I get it. His best mate plays there. Maybe he wants to challenge himself. He's won everything at Liverpool. So there's a part of me that really understands it.
"But as soon as I put my Liverpool hat back on, I think, what are you doing? What are you doing? You're arguably one of the best teams in Europe. You're winning things that I sit here now and still dream of winning.
"You're winning European Cups. You're one of the main men. The fans adore you. What are you doing? But this is with my Liverpool hat on, because I love Liverpool football club. So..."
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Speaking as a guest on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Gerrard also reckons that Alexander-Arnold must be prepared to accept the backlash that has followed.
"The next person that flirts with Real Madrid or Barcelona or blah, blah, blah, they're going to get a stick," he said.
"We play a game with millions and millions of people that are paying good money or they're all on social... You're going to get a bit of stick. You're going to get a bit of stick. It is what it is. The stick that goes above the line, I don't agree with.
"The abuse. All that, I don't agree with that with any player. That's not for me. That's just a load of b******s. That's got to stop.
"But constructive criticism from a fan who's paying money and buying your shirt and blah, blah, blah, they deserve to have anything. They're the same people that were watching Trent's goals on the phone or spending three grand to go to Dortmund to see Trent score a free kick.
"They're the same people that adore him, that are spending 90 quid on a shirt. You've got to accept it. Get on with it. It is what it is. That is constructive opinions in football. You have to get on with it. You have to accept. Just get on with it. And he has. He has.
"I just think he took a big risk on. He's an extremely good footballer, a very talented footballer. One of the best passers I've ever seen and I've played with some good passers. He's up there with them. He's in the conversation with Beckham and Scholes, no problem.
"But to leave Liverpool Football Club where he was at in the prime years, getting off with a new contract, he took a risk on in my opinion. And I think he's living that risk now. I hope it works for him because I love the kid. Love the kid to bits. I wouldn't have done it."
Before he concluded: "But he's good enough to make it work. He's good enough to make it work. I wouldn't have done it."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.
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