Trent Alexander-Arnold to Man City transfer links after coach sent text message
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Liverpool IconLiverpool FC NewsFeaturesTrent Alexander-ArnoldTrent Alexander-Arnold will come up against his former Liverpool coach Pep Lijnders when Real Madrid face Manchester City in the Champions League on WednesdayTrent Alexander-Arnold has faced issues during his first season at Real Madrid(Image: Getty Images)Trent Alexander-Arnold is poised to come face-to-face with his former Liverpool coach Pep Lijnders when Real Madrid take on Manchester City in the Champions League.The clubs are gearing up for the opening leg of their last-16 Champions League encounter at the Bernabeu. Having overcome his fitness setbacks, Alexander-Arnold has reclaimed his spot in the side under boss Alvaro Arbeloa and is competing for a starting berth against City.READ MORE: Florian Wirtz makes promise to Liverpool fans before Champions League second leg vs.
The Dutchman worked with the full-back during his days in Liverpool's youth setup before continuing to shape his development as a member of the senior coaching staff throughout nearly all of Jurgen Klopp's reign at Anfield.Here, Liverpool.com examines their connection ahead of the crucial Champions League showdown.Man City transfer linksAlexander-Arnold's challenging debut season in Madrid sparked speculation about his future during the January transfer window. Spanish media reports claimed new manager Arbeloa had suggested the defender explore options elsewhere, with City briefly mooted as a potential destination for the ex-Liverpool player.Pep Lijnders joined Manchester City's coaching staff last summer(Image: Getty Images)The 27-year-old revolutionized the right-back role during his spell in England.
His understanding with Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool secure the Premier League title, Champions League trophy, and numerous other major silverware during his Anfield career.While speculation about Alexander-Arnold's Madrid future was contested, he would have strengthened City's current right-back options. Such a transfer would also have reunited him with Lijnders, who joined City's backroom team last summer.Message from coachLijnders expressed his respect for Alexander-Arnold in his 2022 book: 'Intensity – Inside Liverpool FC.'The coach described his delight upon discovering the academy product had been selected for the club's new leadership group and disclosed his communications to Klopp about the then-22-year-old."Jurgen forwarded me a text with the result of the votes for the players' committee.