As Trent Alexander-Arnold stepped onto the Anfield pitch on Sunday, it should have been a triumphant homecoming — a moment to honour a local lad turned legend in what was likely his penultimate appearance for Liverpool. Instead, he was met with a chorus of boos from a section of the crowd.
The reaction from some supporters to Alexander-Arnold’s return—following his announcement that he would leave the club at the end of the season—has stirred debate, exposing emotional fractures within the fanbase.
After spending over 20 years with Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold has lifted every major domestic and European trophy, contributing significantly to the club’s recent era of success. Still, his decision to leave on a free transfer this summer has left many fans feeling betrayed.
‘It feels like a betrayal’
Lifelong Liverpool supporter Carl Duffy attended Sunday’s match with his daughter. Both chose to boo Alexander-Arnold during his second-half introduction.
“To us, it gets no bigger than Liverpool,” Duffy explained. “Trent always said this club was his dream, that he watched the 2005 Champions League trophy come down Queens Drive. That made him one of us. So to leave like this — running down his contract and giving the club no compensation — it feels like a backstab.”
While Duffy acknowledged the team would recover, he said the emotional fallout was harder to accept. “It’s not about losing a right-back. We’ve lost bigger players before. It’s the way he’s going. If he really cared, he could’ve signed a new deal with a buyout clause. Let Madrid pay the fee.”
A legacy damaged?
Fellow fan Richard Davis echoed those sentiments. “No one’s denying Trent’s ability or contribution. But if you love the club, why walk away for free after 20 years of investment in you?” he asked.
“He could’ve been a legend—maybe top ten all time. But now, his legacy’s tarnished. This hurts because it feels like he’s turned his back on us.”
A divided response
Not all fans felt the same. John Gibbons from Liverpool fan outlet The Anfield Wrap was at the match and described the atmosphere as mixed.
“Some fans booed, yes. But many didn’t. Some cheered. There’s a lot of emotion here, but also misinformation,” Gibbons said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “Plenty of Scousers wish him well. But the worst thing you can be accused of in Liverpool is thinking you’re too good for us — and that’s what’s feeding the booing now.”
Alexander-Arnold signed a four-year deal in 2021, alongside teammates Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. While Van Dijk and Salah have indicated openness to renewals, Alexander-Arnold’s exit was confirmed, with Real Madrid believed to be his next destination.
A bigger picture
Former Scotland international Pat Nevin acknowledged the complexity of the situation.
“He’s given Liverpool incredible service and maybe his best years. But leaving for nothing when you’re worth £70m — that stings,” Nevin said. “It’s hard not to think money played a role. Liverpool likely offered a strong deal, but as a free agent, his earnings skyrocket.”
Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott added a more empathetic take.
“I found it disturbing,” Walcott said on the Monday Night Club. “We talk about mental health in football — how will this affect Trent? He’s human. He’s still young. I understand the move; he’s done all he can at Liverpool. But booing one of your own? That’s tough.”
Andy Robertson, Alexander-Arnold’s teammate, has publicly defended him, and it’s clear the dressing room still respects the 26-year-old. But in a city where football and identity are deeply entwined, emotional decisions often outweigh rational ones.
A farewell in flux
With one more home game left, there’s still time for a proper send-off — or further fallout. Whether history will remember Alexander-Arnold’s exit as a betrayal or a new chapter in a brilliant career may depend as much on Sunday’s reaction as on the trophies he’s helped bring to Anfield.
