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Trent Alexander-Arnold said that his feelings about Liverpool will not change, regardless of how he is received by supporters upon his return to Anfield this week.
Alexander-Arnold will almost certainly face a hostile reception when Real Madrid faces Liverpool, after choosing to swap Merseyside for Madrid over the summer.
Liverpool lost Alexander-Arnold for a fee that was far lower than his market value after the player allowed his contract to run down - and only received a fee at all because of the timing of the Club World Cup. In any other summer, Alexander-Arnold would have left Liverpool for nothing, which is the main reason why supporters were not happy with his exit.
The player communicated his decision to leave Liverpool prior to the end of last season, and in his first appearance after doing so, he was booed by the majority of fans inside Anfield as he emerged as a substitute in a 1-1 Premier League draw against Arsenal.
A similar reception is expected on Tuesday night, but Alexander-Arnold won't let any jeers aimed in his direction affect how he feels about his former club.
“Whatever way I’m received, is the decision of the fans," Alexander-Arnold told Amazon Prime. "I’ll always love the club, I’ll always be a fan of the club. I’ll always be thankful for the opportunities and the things we achieved together… they’ll live with me forever. No matter what, my feeling won’t change towards Liverpool. I’ve got memories there that will last me a lifetime, and no matter how I'm received, that won’t change."
Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold said that he received messages from Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate after the draw confirmed a speedy return to Merseyside for the England international.
“After the draw, Robbo, Mo and Ibou (Konate) all messaged me, we were just laughing," Alexander-Arnold said. "When the draw was announced, everyone knew it was going to happen, it was destined for that fixture to come.
"It will be a very difficult game, the reception and atmosphere will contribute to that. Although they (Liverpool) haven’t had the results of late, they’re still a top footballing team, and nobody here thinks it’s going to be an easy game."
Alexander-Arnold has been an unused subtitute for Madrid in its last two games, with Federico Valverde starting ahead of him at right-back, so it is far from guaranteed that he will line up for his new team on Tuesday.
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