Hendrick: ‘Trent’s brother stands to make an ungodly amount of money from his Liverpool exit’ | OneFootball

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool and the Real Madrid Question: A Red Farewell in the Making?

Trent’s Inevitable Departure?

In Monday’s edition of The Daily Red, Dave Hendrick pulled no punches as he dissected the escalating certainty surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s rumoured move to Real Madrid. Citing David Ornstein’s report that “Real Madrid [are] working to close [a] deal to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free”, Hendrick stated bluntly, “When I say possibility, I do mean probability. And by probability, I mean we’re pretty certain this is going to happen.”

He expressed disbelief at the level of surprise among fans: “Haven’t we all known for a year that this was going to happen? Haven’t we all known that Trent was going to go to Real?”

For Hendrick, this isn’t a bolt from the blue. It’s the natural end point of a long and complex road.

Legacy Under Fire

The harshest assessment came not from Madrid fans, but from within Liverpool’s own: “This has been something that’s been coming and frankly the sooner it’s announced I think the better for everybody.”

In a scathing critique of recent seasons, Hendrick suggested that Trent’s performances have not lived up to the standard expected: “The attitude and effort level that we witnessed in the 22–23 and 23–24 seasons were a disgrace… He was coddled. He was enabled.”

And although he acknowledged Trent’s qualities – “Trent, when he wants to be, is a good defender” – the emphasis was on “application and effort”, which he claims have been inconsistent.

Real Madrid’s Gain, Liverpool’s Reality

Hendrick offered no fairytale farewell: “I’m not going to say I wish him well in Madrid because, you know, they’re a stay-home team… they’ve had the type of luck that can only have come from selling your soul to the devil.”

He also compared Alexander-Arnold’s potential exit to that of former Liverpool academy stars Steve McManaman and Michael Owen: “He joins Steve McManaman in being an academy lad sneaking out the back door like some sort of stowaway.”

While acknowledging Trent’s greater contribution to Liverpool’s modern success – “Trent has given us more than those two” – he questioned the reasons behind the move: “He has far less reason to leave than them.”

Photo: IMAGO

Family Ties and Financial Motives

Dave Hendrick didn’t hold back when it came to the influence of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s brother Tyler, who also acts as his agent. In Hendrick’s words, “his brother has been going around telling people for 18 months about Trent McManaman.” The implication was clear: the groundwork for a departure has long been in motion.

Hendrick questioned the legitimacy of the brother’s role: “This guy wouldn’t be an agent if his brother wasn’t Trent.” According to him, “this is his one chance to do a big deal and set himself up for life.” He went on to claim that agent fees in the “£10 to £15 million pound range” were being discussed.

The sentiment was blunt: “Nobody has anything good to say about this fella.” Hendrick made it clear that, from his perspective, family involvement had played a significant role in engineering this likely exit.

Liverpool’s Response Under Arne Slot

Looking ahead, Hendrick argued that Liverpool under Arne Slot are no longer as reliant on Trent’s creativity: “He’s far less important under Arne than he was under Jurgen. The team doesn’t play through him nearly as much.”

Yet replacing Alexander-Arnold will be no easy task. Hendrick was unequivocal: “You can’t replace Trent. There’s no other full-back like him.” Instead, he advised a structural rethink: “You have to take the parts of Trent’s game and you have to spread them across the rest of the team and replace him in the aggregate.”

That means addressing four positions – “Left back, six, left wing, and striker” – each with key attributes to redistribute the burden of playmaking and progression. And he floated João Pedro as a potential creative nine: “His creative passing is second to none among strikers in the Premier League.”

Photo: IMAGO

Farewell or Fallout?

Despite everything, Hendrick’s conclusion was resigned more than furious: “He wants to go. This isn’t on the club.” Still, there’s no sugarcoating it: “Has he tarnished his legacy? Of course he has.”

In the end, this episode of The Daily Red was less about outrage and more about acceptance. A player who has “given us all incredible memories” looks set to leave not just the club, but possibly through the back door — leaving behind questions about entitlement, ambition, and the cost of modern football.

Whether Liverpool bounce back stronger will now rest not on the shoulders of one lad from West Derby, but on the vision of Arne Slot and the collective will of the club.