Arsene Wenger claims elite players are now more prepared to run down their contracts to secure moves to clubs like Real Madrid.
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Article continues below
Article continues below
- Alexander-Arnold expected to join Real Madrid
- Right-back has announced Liverpool departure
- Kylian Mbappe signed for Los Blancos on free transfer
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed Trent Alexander-Arnold's imminent move to Real Madrid reflects a growing trend of elite players no longer commanding huge transfer fees, instead running down their contracts to secure better deals for themselves elsewhere.
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- AFP
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Alexander-Arnold recently confirmed his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of his contract and is expected to become Real Madrid's latest marquee free transfer signing, coming a year after Kylian Mbappe was snared from Paris Saint-Germain in similar circumstances.
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WHAT WENGER SAID
Speaking on beIN SPORTS, Wenger said: "I believe it shows a new trend in the game that there is no transfer [fee], for the big big players; they go all at the end of their contract because the wages are so high.
"If you want to buy Marcel [Desailly] now, you have to pay him so much money that you can't afford the transfer fee anymore so what do they do?
"They say two years before the end of a contract: 'We want to buy you, we'll give you these wages, and we will try to make an offer. If it doesn't work, we will come back next year and if it doesn't work we'll take you for free', it's what they did with [Kylian] Mbappe.
"Real Madrid approached Alexander-Arnold a long, long time ago."
- Getty Images Sport
WHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?
While Alexander-Arnold may already mentally be in Madrid where he'll link up with Mbappe and fellow England international Jude Bellingham, Liverpool still have three more Premier League games to see out the season. They take on Arsenal on Sunday before clashes with Brighton and Crystal Palace.
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