Trent Alexander-Arnold's future has been the talk of the town for weeks, with the Liverpool defender seemingly inching ever closer to a move to Real Madrid. The 26-year-old has less than six months left on his Anfield contract, and is now free to negotiate with overseas clubs.

Los Blancos tested the waters on New Year's Eve by approaching Liverpool about a transfer for the player this month, but their advances were flat-out rejected. Reports in Spain claim Alexander-Arnold's mind is made up and that he's agreed to join the La Liga giants in the summer, though negotiations with the Reds are still open, and the club haven't thrown in the towel just yet.

Over the past month or so, several pundits and ex-pros have had their say on Alexander-Arnold's situation, with some offering more complimentary assessments than others. Here, we take a closer look at the most striking opinions, dissecting the mix of praise, critique, and speculation surrounding Alexander-Arnold's potential departure, as the football world weighs in on what could be one of the most significant transfers of the summer.

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'His head has been turned'

Speaking on The Sports Agents podcast, ex-Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp suggested Alexander-Arnold's head had been turned by Real Madrid, insisting it would be tough for any player to say no a move to the Bernabeu. "I think there's only one club as a player where you just… with that white kit, and when Real Madrid come calling, it's almost impossible to turn down," he said.

"My view is if you get an opportunity to go and try something, try a different culture, go and do something different in your life, in your career. How can he begrudge anyone that?"

'He knew about Madrid bid'

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher said he was "disappointed" with Alexander-Arnold for potentially jeopardising his team's title push by letting his transfer saga play out in public. He thinks the player and his entourage not only knew about Real Madrid's bid beforehand, but actively encouraged it in order to save face with Liverpool's supporters.

"They [Alexander-Arnold and his team] would have known what was happening [with the bid]," Carragher said on Sky Sports. "I'm not naive enough to think that Real Madrid would put a bid in for someone they can get for free in the summer. Of course they knew about it.

"He's getting a lot of criticism for the fact that he might leave for free. Now if Madrid put a bid in in January and Liverpool don't accept it, maybe they can say at the end of the season, 'Well you were offered £20-30million'.

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"My problem is Liverpool are going for a league title, it's January. He will have known that and it will kick up a fuss before a big game. If he leaves I'd be disappointed.

"This disappointment for me is that Liverpool are on the verge of beating Manchester United in terms of league titles. He could be the captain in two or three years, and the guy who lifts these trophies... If I was in his position, that would be my mentality."

'Madrid bid was insulting'

During the aforementioned Sky Sports broadcast, Gary Neville branded Real Madrid's bid for Alexander-Arnold "insulting". He also said the offer may have "unnerved" the Liverpool right back.

"The bid from Real Madrid is bad timing for him," said Neville. "I don't know what's going to happen with him, but certainly if you've got that going into a big game, and you're a local lad, that won't be easy with the distractions.

"Real Madrid are a hell of an animal. It was insulting from them, they behave like that and think they can get what they want. But Liverpool are a club of immense stature, they're never going to sell Trent for £20m in January. You're taking the mickey a bit.

"You can imagine his agent, family and friends asking him how he's doing, and that noise going on in his head before the game. That won't have helped."

'He could feel bullied'

Neville seemed to have plenty of sympathy of Alexander-Arnold and his predicament. He suggested that, as a Liverpudlian, the defender was facing more scrutiny, and was under more pressure to extend his contract than Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who, like Alexander-Arnold, are also into the final six months of their respective deals.

"For Trent, as a young player who's come through the ranks at the club, you can sometimes get a little bit bullied. 'You've got to sign for us, you owe us, we brought you through'. I'm not saying Liverpool are doing that, but there's another side to this."

'He's spoon-fed at Liverpool'

Another former Manchester United defender, Paul Parker, thinks Alexander-Arnold might struggle at Real Madrid after years of being "spoon-fed" at Liverpool. The 60-year-old insisted that if Alexander-Arnold's defensive deficiencies were exposed in Spain, Madrid supporters would turn on him.

"If Trent thinks he can jog back at Madrid, the fans will be waving white handkerchiefs at him in no time," Parker told Betting Expert. "Every time I watch him, he doesn't seem interested in defending. He plays for himself - wandering around, jogging, and letting others do the hard work. And when they concede, he doesn't even show remorse.

"They [Liverpool fans] want to sing his praises after one flashy pass but ignore his shortcomings. Why can't we just say 'he's a poor defender?' He had a comfortable setup under Klopp, who spoon-fed him. Now Liverpool are playing a more balanced, effective style, and it's their best chance at a league title in years. Trent seems to want an easier ride and more recognition."

'Liverpool can afford to lose him'

TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods thinks Liverpool won't be hit too hard by an Alexander-Arnold departure because they have Conor Bradley waiting in the wings. The Northern Irishman, 21, has looked a real gem since making his Premier League debut a year ago, and is expected to take Alexander-Arnold's place in the side in the event of a summer exit.

"If Real come knocking, there aren’t many that would turn it down, and for good reason," she told BetMGM. "Liverpool can afford to lose him with the emergence of Connor Bradley, but shouldn't do it willingly.

"He is an academy boy, he is loved beyond measure and has been there for all of the highs of Liverpool’s recent successes in the Jurgen Klopp era. So if they do let him go, it should be through gritted teeth."

David Beckham comparison

Tim Sherwood has been waxing lyrical about Alexander-Arnold recently and insists the Reds ace has what it takes to be a success in La Liga. The former Premier League midfielder said the defender's passing range was akin to David Beckham's, and up there with the greatest we've ever seen in English football.

"I think the criticism of Trent Alexander-Arnold recently has been really harsh," Sherwood told Lucky Block. "I hate it when people talk about him as a right-back because he's not a proper defender - he's a provider of goals and assist at the other end of the pitch.

"He's got the best passing range of anyone in the Premier League, even the likes of Kevin De Bruyne. He's up there with the best we’ve ever seen at passing in the competition's history, like David Beckham when he gets it on the right-hand side. The timing and weight of his passing is just sublime, so I think we sometimes overlook the positives that he offers and focus on the negatives."

'Fans should forgive Trent'

Alan Shearer thinks Liverpool supporters shouldn't hold any ill-feeling towards Alexander-Arnold if he leaves. He insisted the full back had done "nothing wrong in terms of his attitude" and that wanting to move to a club like Real Madrid was understandable.

"Having interest from Real Madrid, I would imagine, is a massive head-turner for any player, because of who they are and what they have achieved," the Newcastle legend told Betfair. "I would hope, if he does go, and it's still an if, the fans would understand it and I'm sure they would. He’s won everything at Liverpool and he is one of their own; so I would hope that there is an understanding if he does choose to go that way.

"He's done nothing wrong in terms of his attitude as well, which has always been exemplary. He's always been fit, always given everything for the football club so nobody can come back at him with any criticism in that regard."