Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool supporters should remember Trent Alexander-Arnold fondly even if he ends up leaving the club for nothing next summer.

The England right-back is set to become a free agent at the end of the season and is the subject of strong interest from Real Madrid.

Liverpool would no doubt love to keep Alexander-Arnold, but the situation is complicated by the fact Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk — as things stands — are also set to become free agents at the end of the season.

Liverpool is seemingly not in a position to be able to give all three players exactly what they want, but, should Alexander-Arnold end up leaving, Carragher does not think that should affect his legacy at the club.

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"Trent should be loved no matter what happens," Carragher said in a Telegraph Q&A. "But he will be respected more than loved if he leaves this summer. Local players get treated differently to overseas stars. It is just how it is.

"Put it this way, I’m not sure you will get a banner on the Kop saying, ‘give Trent whatever dough he wants’ any time soon. With the local lads it always seems to be more like: ‘You’re playing for Liverpool so what more do you want?’

"Trent will get a lot of criticism if he leaves on a free because he is valued at around £90 million, but there will be more acceptance if Salah and Van Dijk go on a Bosman even though one cost £40 million and the other £75 million. Trent cost no transfer fee, so he would leave for the same price.

"If I could offer my advice to Trent it would be to sign a deal and get yourself a realistic buy-out clause so the option is there if the chance of a move comes around again. That way, if Real still fancy it, Liverpool could get a few quid and Trent will always be remembered as Liverpool’s greatest right-back."

Alexander-Arnold has not had much to say about where he wants to be playing next season and beyond, and said in September that he had no intention of letting negotiations over an extension with Liverpool play out in public.

"I want to be a Liverpool player this season [as a minimum] is what I will say," the 26-year-old said. "I have been at the club 20 years now. I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public - and this one won't be either."