Trent Alexander-Arnold reveals his dream of building a ‘legacy’ before he retires as the Liverpool star opens up about the players who inspired him and his relationship with Mo Salah

Trent Alexander-Arnold wants to build a legacy for himself at Liverpool.

Despite being just 26, the local lad has already been on the books at Anfield for two decades after joining the club at the age of six.

He made his first-team debut in 2016 and has since racked up 330 appearances and won eight trophies, including the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.

Alexander-Arnold is well on his way to cementing legendary status at Liverpool. He is the subject of a giant mural on the corner of Anfield Road, where his image is accompanied by the quote: ‘I’m just a normal lad from Liverpool whose dream has come true.’

In an interview with Men in Blazers this week, Alexander-Arnold was asked what his dreams looked like now.

He replied: ‘Of course, winning more trophies. But on a personal level it is building a legacy. That is something that is important.’

The local lad, turned superstar right back, made his Reds debut as a 16-year-old back in 2016

He has spoken about wanting to create a footballing legacy by the time he retires from playing

Asked what he meant by that, he clarified: ‘Just being spoken about in the highest regard, especially after you’ve finished [playing]. In 10 or 15 years, if I’m spoken about as one of the best right backs or the best right back then that’s what I’m playing for now and using it as motivation.’

Although he is now best known as a right back, Alexander-Arnold played in various difference positions as a youth player.

In fact, he only starting playing a right back at the age of 17, having previously played almost everywhere else.

Asked what he most enjoys doing on a football field, he said: ‘For me, it’s always been passing. I’ve always admired it from a very young age. I was fortunate enough to grow up in an era where the passers of the ball were incredible.

‘I was able to grow up watching [Steven] Gerrard, [Xavi] Alonso, [David] Beckham, [Andrea] Pirlo, and the Spanish legends as well. I was very fortunate to grow up witnessing that, so I think from a young age I always admired it.

‘I thought it was a real art and a skill. Everything that goes into it – the weight of pass, the technique that you use, the speed of your pass. Every pass should be delivered as a message without having to talk. I think the person who receives the ball should know from how the ball is played what the situation is – whether you can turn, whether you have to play it back, whether it is in space or not, they should understand what your thinking was through the pass.’

Alexander-Arnold recently became the first ever defender to record 60 assists in the Premier League. His last two league assists have both been for Mo Salah.

‘You understand your players,’ Alexander-Arnold explained. ‘What they like, what they don’t like and what gives them the best chance to score or put them in a position where they can attack the defender.

Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah (right) have a superb understanding of each other on the field

His last two assists in the Premier League have been for his fellow out-of-contract star

‘I know what Mo likes. Mo can receive any ball to be honest but we have a connection where, over the top or… he’s a runner, he likes to get in behind and then be isolated one vs one. Whichever way I pass the ball he knows what to do and what you mean by the pass.

‘You’ve just got to understand your players and understand what they appreciate and what they don’t.’

Both Salah and Alexander-Arnold have just over six months remaining on their current contracts at Liverpool, meaning they could leave Anfield on free transfers next summer.

Alexander-Arnold recently revealed that talks over a new contract had begun, while insisting that they would not be played out in public. 

The first 310 appearances of Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool career came under former manager Jurgen Klopp, who left Anfield at the end of last season.

Klopp was replaced by Arne Slot in June and the new boss has made an incredible start, winning 20 of his first 24 matches and losing just one. 

On the subject of Slot’s superb start, Alexander-Arnold said: ‘It probably makes more sense from the inside than the outside because I think a lot of people are probably scratching their heads right now thinking, “how is it possible?”

‘If you look at a lot of teams recently, especially after such a big figure leaves, it’s hard to replace and there’s always a a period of kind of going through the motions for other clubs.

The first 310 appearances of Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool career came under Jurgen Klopp

Klopp was replaced in June by new manager Arne Slot (right) – who has made a brilliant start

‘But for us, it’s been so smooth and we’ve just cracked on with it. It was quite obvious from the first few sessions that we we’re going to have a clear identity that suited the players. The manager’s came in not to try to change too much but almost put his twist on the way that we played before.

‘So it’s not been a complete change. So I think the adjustment period was really, really fast.’  

Pressed on what is different about Liverpool this season, Alexander Arnold added: ‘I think we’re just so assured that we’re going to get results in games because we believe so much in game plan. I think it’s always important, especially under a new manager, to have a relationship that works both ways, which is what we’ve got.

‘He needs to believe in us that we’re good enough to carry out the game plan and go and get the results, and understand and apply what he tells us to do. And then likewise as players, we need to see that the style of play, the tactics and the game plans are working and will get us results.

‘I think from the first few games we really got that. Then from then on, when you’ve got that belief flowing both ways, it’s going to b a good journey.’

Liverpool have made a habit this season of often improving drastically in the second half of games.

Both of their goals in last month’s 2-0 win over Real Madrid came in the second 45 minutes, before they recently rescued draws against Newcastle and Fulham after trailing at the interval.

On how Slot acts during his half-time team-talks, Alexander-Arnold said: ‘His personality is very, very chilled. The best way to describe it is just things are black and white. They are what they are. There’s not too much emotion that goes into things. At half-time he’ll come in, tell us exactly, very clearly, how the opposition are playing, how they are pressing us, the adjustments we need to make. Then it is kind of, “just do that and we’ll win.” That’s literally the message.’

Liverpool have three matches remaining in 2024, all in the Premier League. They travel to Tottenham on Sunday before hosting Leicester on Boxing Day. Slot’s Reds will then end the calendar year away to West Ham on December 29.