Trent Alexander-Arnold receives Steven Gerrard message with Liverpool running out of time

The future of Trent Alexander-Arnold has been an ongoing topic of discussion this season as one former Liverpool star backed the Englishman to follow in Steven Gerrard's footsteps

Trent Alexander-Arnold will reject the overtures from Real Madrid to remain at Liverpool - much like Steven Gerrard did with Chelsea, claims John Arne Riise.

The future of the Reds' vice-captain has been a consistent topic of discussion this season given his contract expires next summer, alongside Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

While the 26-year-old stated that his contract negotiations with his boyhood club will not be played out publicly, it hasn't stopped the rest of the world from contemplating whether he'll commit his future to the Premier League giants or become the latest superstar signing at the Santiago Bernabeu.

This isn't the first time Liverpool have had to contend with potentially losing one of their own as almost 20 years ago, ex-Reds skipper Gerrard was moments away from clinching a move to Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.

However, at the last minute, the Huyton native signed a new four-year deal with Liverpool, and according to his former team-mate Riise, Alexander-Arnold will follow a similar path.

The Norwegian - who won the Champions League alongside Gerrard in 2005 - claims the right-back wants to be a local hero more than he does a 'Galactico'. "Trent needs to feel wanted—whether it’s the type of contract or the plans the club has for him in the future," he told Coin Poker.

"But he's in a good position to negotiate. If Real Madrid is in the picture and you're performing at a high level, the club really needs to step up. I think Trent's waiting for Liverpool to show that love and commitment that he wants to sign.

"But at the same time, it's tough because Real Madrid is a massive club, but I think it means more to Trent to be a local hero. I was there with Steven Gerrard when he almost left for Chelsea. We were close friends, and I could see how much the discussions in the papers affected Stevie mentally and physically and mood wise.

"He was really close to going, but in the end, the love for the club and the city meant more than a trophy or two. And I think Trent will do the same and stay."

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England star Alexander-Arnold has admitted his ambitions of becoming club captain but said the most important thing to him is consistently winning trophies. "The most important thing is always trophies, if I am honest," he said in September.

"I want to win trophies, I am a player who is highly motivated by trophies and winning things and being elite. So that is probably the main factor of anything, if you have a personality that is elite, who wants to win and will do anything to win, then that is what drives me."

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