Jurgen Klopp has transformed Trent Alexander-Arnold into a Premier League and Champions League star at Anfield – even Lionel Messi loves him.
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold is ‘the future’ of the modern game according to none other than Barcelona captain Lionel Messi, in quotes reported by The Mirror (1 April, page 48).
Arguably the greatest footballer ever to play the game witnessed Alexander-Arnold’s talents first hand 12 months ago.
In a Champions League semi-final comeback that not even the most hard-nosed, rose-tinted Liverpool supporter could have even dreamed of, it was their local-lad-turned-talisman who set up Divock Origi’s decider with one of the most ingenious corner kicks ever seen in Europe’s elite club competition.
A year after that infamous 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona, which put The Reds on track for their sixth European Cup triumph, Alexander-Arnold continues to go from strength to strength with Jurgen Klopp’s side now on the verge of their first top-flight title in 30 years.
And Messi certainly believes that there is more to come from this 21-year-old from West Derby.
“(He is) the future,” the Argentine legend says, naming Alexander-Arnold as one of his top 15 young players in the world game.
“A full-back who is impressive going forward.”
Messi had so many of his 438 Barcelona goals served up on a silver platter by Dani Alves, the most creative and fearsome attacking full-back of the 21st century.
And Alexander-Arnold is potentially the closest thing we have in this day and age to that rampaging Samba star. With 30 assists to his name since the start of 2018/19, that is certainly a tally that Alves himself would be proud to call his own.
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