Trent Alexander-Arnold opens up on controversial Liverpool exit - 'Personal transformation'

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Trent Alexander-Arnold admits leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid was "one of the toughest decisions" of his life, but says the chance to thrive in Spain was one he had to take earlier this year.

Alexander-Arnold, who had been on the Reds' books since the age of six, left his boyhood club at the start of June, joining los Blancos in a £10m deal with his contract just a month from expiring, which was a deal that was expedited so he could feature for the Spaniards in the lucrative Club World Cup in the United States.

Had it not been for Madrid's determination to have him Stateside, Alexander-Arnold would have left as a free agent at the end of June, which was a controversial career choice for many supporters at the time.

In an interview with GQ Spain as part of his brand new partnership with fashion giants Calvin Klein, the England international says it was not an easy choice to uproot from Merseyside.

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"It was one of the toughest decisions of my life," Alexander-Arnold said.

"Liverpool is my home; it made me who I am.

It is definitely a challenge, but it's a challenge I welcome.

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”The Bernabeu is a sacred place.

Of course the legacy (of Real Madrid) is undeniable.

But more than that, what attracted me was the ambition and the desire to prove myself in a new context.

”Yes, I feel it's a personal transformation as well as a professional one.