Trent Alexander-Arnold opens up as Liverpool star hopes to make 'real change'

Trent Alexander-Arnold opens up as Liverpool star hopes to make 'real change'

If Trent Alexander-Arnold were to leave Liverpool the club would not only lose a fine footballer but Merseyside would lose an outstanding citizen

Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is yet to agree a new contract to stay beyond the summer (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images )

With Trent Alexander-Arnold the focus over the past eight months has been finishing Liverpool's push for silverware successfully or his tense, ongoing contract saga. This has meant the vice-captain's status as a force for good has somewhat sailed under the radar.

The season began with the boyhood Red into his final year of a deal with the club. Change to a new head coach made the situation somewhat precarious, though with Alexander-Arnold's self-stated motivation to be to win trophies, life under Arne Slot could have no started any better to help prove this team is capable to sweeping up the big silverware on offer.

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Yet there has been no contract signed, only persistent whispers of a move to Real Madrid in the near future. Maybe a title chase has been a distraction for now but it remains a far from ideal picture for Liverpool.

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Away from the drama, the player's connection to his local area has not diminished as he continues to support charities like Football for Change, donating for the survival of childrens hospice Zoe's Place last November, providing for foodbanks in Merseyside and notably creating his own initiative - The After Academy, which came into existence one year ago.

"I was lucky enough to achieve my dreams on a football pitch. But I always felt there was a side to football that wasn’t spoken about… which is what happens to the 99 percent of players who don’t make it.

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"To be able to now use my voice to create a platform, which offers released players opportunities that could help shape their life, is extremely important to me," the full-back has told Instagram in a rare interview this season.

With over 12 million followers on the social media platform, he added: "Of course I feel a responsibility. Having an influential voice in this world is extremely powerful, but it’s important that every time I talk about my purpose I do it meaningfully. That’s how we drive real change I believe.

"Instagram is probably the most useful tool when it comes to shining a light on my work. It’s where I first shared my thoughts on the topic and where I announced The After Academy for the first time.

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"The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, both from people who are directly affected but also beyond that. I feel proud to have brought this issue up in a more prominent way, and hopefully I have opened some eyes and helped those who’ve been affected feel heard."

So, Liverpool keeping West Derby-raised Alexander-Arnold would not only be such a huge success for the club in the year's to come, but also for the city as such a prominent member of the community making a difference, particularly for The After Academy in its infancy.

In his final message, he concluded: "Purpose matters. Whether it’s speaking publicly or working more privately, we should never underestimate the impact that we can all have."

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