By the time he’s finished at Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold will be considered one of the greatest footballers ever to play for the club.
In fact, it isn’t too much of a stretch to say he probably should be already.
England fans may still be waiting to see their Scouse star explode - the recent signs are a little more promising, in that regard - but those who work alongside him, or who watch him regularly, are in no doubt as to the 24-year-old’s brilliance, and his status as one of the world’s best.
“A world class talent,” is Jurgen Klopp’s verdict on a player whose fan-club includes not only teammates past and present, modern contemporaries such as Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, but also legendary figures such as Cafu and Dani Alves, players who helped advance and redefine the role of the attacking full-back in the 1990s and 2000s.
There is a fair chance that, in years to come, we will recognise Alexander-Arnold similarly. Forget the tiresome debate about his defensive shortcomings - Cafu and Alves experienced similar, as did another of the great modern full-backs, Roberto Carlos. Instead, let’s focus on the good, and boy is there a lot of good to focus on.
Trophies? Alexander-Arnold has won them all. First the Champions League in 2019, then the UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup and the Premier League within the next 13 months. Last year, he added the League Cup and FA Cup to his collection, as Liverpool came within a whisker of a ‘quadruple’ clean sweep.
Individual awards? Alexander-Arnold was the PFA Young Player of the Year for 2019/20, and has been named in the PFA Team of the Year on three separate occasions. He has been in the FIFPro World XI, UEFA Team of the Year and the Champions League team of the season (twice), and he is the only defender ever to win the Premier League player of the month award on more than one occasion. He has also been shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or twice, finishing 18th in 2019 and joint-22nd last year.
You want numbers? Ok, let’s talk numbers too. Since he made his debut for Liverpool in November 2016, only two players can better Alexander-Arnold’s total of 55 Premier League assists. That those two players are Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah, probably the league’s two best players in that time, says everything.
Alexander-Arnold has 72 assists for Liverpool in all competitions, placing him ahead of greats such as Terry McDermott, Ray Kennedy and Steve Heighway, and on the coat-tails of Salah, Kevin Keegan and Roberto Firmino. Impressive enough for a forward or attacking midfielder, but a right-back? Remarkable.
He remains a right-back for now, but it is likely that, in years to come, we will see Alexander- Arnold evolve his game further still. There are already signs, both for club and country, that a central midfield role may be where his future lies. The fact that it is even a discussion speaks not only to his technical excellence, but also to his footballing intelligence, an underrated quality when discussing his rise.
Wherever he plays, however, we can expect more of the same. More perfectly-pinged passes, more pinpoint crosses and laser-guided free-kicks, more assists and more goals and more swagger.
More evidence, if it were needed, that Trent Alexander-Arnold is truly world class.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Why Trent Alexander-Arnold is world class.