Trent Alexander-Arnold to be DENIED dream Liverpool farewell

Trent Alexander-Arnold broke the hearts of many Liverpool supporters when he announced his pending departure earlier this month.

The right-back is expected to move to Real Madrid on a free transfer, but the Spanish outfit could pay a small fee to have him available in time for the FIFA Club World Cup.

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Even before Trent’s announcement, fans attitudes had towards Liverpool’s vice-captain had begun to sour.

Confirmation of the 26-year-old’s exit has left many fans very bitter, with some calling for him to be dropped from the team completely for the final three matches of the campaign.

Arne Slot will be taking no notice of these supporters, but they may get their way anyway and Trent may not get his Anfield farewell.

Conor Bradley to replace Trent for the rest of the season

Despite the Liverpool-born fullback being back to full fitness, Conor Bradley is set to take Trent’s place for Liverpool’s final three league games.

Giving an update on the team before Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal on Sunday, Arne Slot confirmed that Bradley is in line for more minutes in the closing weeks of the season to prepare him for a more prominent role next season.

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“If Conor would have been available for Chelsea he would have started already against Chelsea. But he wasn’t. So, there’s a fair chance that he will start on Sunday,” Slot confirmed on Friday morning.

With Bradley set to become Liverpool's starter before Trent is even out the door, it’s now possible we’ve seen the legendary no.66 grace the pitch at Anfield for the final time.

Will Alexander-Arnold get a Liverpool farewell?

The chances are that Trent will get some minutes from the bench, but there is little to no reason for Slot to give him playing time.

The Dutchman has been in Merseyside for less than 12 months and he, so far, has shown little sign of letting sentimentality or occasion dictate his team selection.

Getting Bradley blooded in and ready to start for the Reds next season will be Slot’s top priority in a run of games that are effectively meaningless. It is hard to see what motivation the Liverpool boss will have to play a player who is leaving the club for free in a matter of weeks.

There is no way of knowing what reception Trent will receive if he does make the pitch in any of Liverpool’s final three fixtures, but there is the potential for his participation to be received very negatively – not something the team needs when they are celebrating a league championship.

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The Trent Alexander-Arnold era at Anfield is over. Conor Bradley’s time is just beginning and this is something Slot will have in mind when choosing his final three starting XIs for the 2024/25 season.