Trent Alexander-Arnold has won all there is to win at Liverpool, and it now seems as though his main source of motivation is his desire to leave a legacy as an individual.

"I think in 10, 15 years, if I'm spoken about as one of the best right-backs, or the best right-back, then that's what I'm playing for now and using it as motivation," the Liverpool star recently said.

Soccer players often preach the importance of team success over solo accolades, but Alexander-Arnold is not afraid of saying how he truly feels; this is a player, after all, who said he would rather win a Ballon d'Or than a World Cup. Perhaps part of the temptation of a move to Real Madrid is that Alexander-Arnold feels his qualities are more likely to be universally recognized while playing for the biggest club in the world.

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Still, it is absolutely possible for Alexander-Arnold to realise his personal ambitions while playing for Liverpool — he just needs to believe it. Arne Slot could barely have done more to make the right-back feel like a key part of his Anfield project, handing him the captain's armband for the first time since he arrived in the summer, in the Carabao Cup quarterfinal win over Southampton on Wednesday.

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."

Reports this week suggested Alexander-Arnold's salary expectations were a major stumbling block in negotiations between the two parties, with the right-back wanting £350,000 a week, but Liverpool only willing to pay £250,000 a week plus performance-based add-ons which could take the figure up to £350,000 a week.

Clearly, that is a matter which Slot will have no influence over, but what he can do is continue to show Alexander-Arnold that he's at the best club possible by maintaining the high standards he has set in recent months and keeping Liverpool's reputation as the best current team in the world. If that happens, there's no reason why Alexander-Arnold should need to move anywhere else to win the biggest individual accolades.