UFC superstar Paddy Pimblett has said he would trade his career in a heartbeat to play for boyhood club Liverpool - as he expressed his disbelief that Trent Alexander-Arnold has yet to sign a new contract at Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold is into the final four months of his current deal with the Reds and has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.

The reigning Spanish and European champions failed with an approach for the 26-year-old on New Year's Eve, with Liverpool adamant that the right-back would not be sold in January.

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But unlike team-mates Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, also out of contract at the end of the season, Alexander-Arnold has been reluctant to discuss his future in public, resulting in speculation dominating newspaper gossip columns in England and Spain.

Pimblett, though, fears that reports that Alexander-Arnold is set to sign for Real Madrid at the end of the season are true and admitted he would have been open to selling the England international in the January transfer window.

Discussing Alexander-Arnold's future on the ECHO's Blood Red podcast, Pimblett said: "I think [Mohamed] Salah and Virg [Van Dijk] are going to stay and sign extensions. I think Trent [Alexander-Arnold] has already gone. He's already packed his bag, lad. He's off to Spain, so let him go.

"I don't understand it. The best team we've ever had, the best period we've ever had, we're going to win trophies. I'd trade my career tomorrow to be him.

"To be a starting player for Liverpool, the club I love, the club I grew up watching every day, my boyhood club and become a legend for them, I'd trade my career in tomorrow to be in that team - but I was never good enough at footy."

On Alexander-Arnold possibly gearing up to move to the Spanish capital, Pimblett said: "I would have sold him in January. I would have just got him off the books, got some money in for him and tried to sign a right-back to have as cover for Bradley.

"I genuinely think he cost us two points against Manchester United and those two points can make a big difference at the end of the season. We've lost the league by a point twice. We know how big those two points can be. I would have sold him, a little £40 million.

"I just don't understand why you would want to go there [Real Madrid]. It's a two-horse, three-horse race for the league and you have four good fixtures a season: Atletico Madrid home and away, Barcelona home and away. Every other team is just like a Championship team.

"The Premier League this season has been the best one I've watched in a long time. Anyone can beat anyone on their day."

Alexander-Arnold will miss Liverpool's FA Cup tie at Plymouth next weekend after suffering a calf injury against Bournemouth last weekend.