Traitor! Mercenary! Money-grabber!

Just three of the kinder descriptions that some irate Kopites have bestowed upon Trent Alexander-Arnold of late.

His heinous crime?

Apart from a poor game against Manchester United, he hasn’t committed one yet.

But joining the world’s best club and becoming a millionaire 100 times over has certainly crossed his mind.

Few 26-year-olds find themselves in such a position.

In fact, it’s a fair bet that most of his critics wouldn’t hesitate if they were in Trent’s golden boots.

As the entire football world is well aware, he will become a free agent at the end of the season and Real Madrid want him.

Their experienced right-back Dani Carvajal is out for the campaign and they usually get their man.

Liverpool are just as keen to keep Trent and have now made him a massive offer to stay.

The problem is that they’ve been a bit late in doing so – around 18 months late – and can’t match the Spanish gold.

If, as seems likely, he decides the grass is greener in Madrid than Merseyside, blame has to be on the club and not the player.

For once, Liverpool briefly took their eye off the ball.

As the Reds are a self-sustaining business, losing an asset that’s rated in the £70m category for nothing will sting the owners as much as the fans.

Put like that, it seems almost criminal neglect that such a situation was allowed to happen to a financially-prudent, “moneyball” outfit like FSG.

But this is the worst-case scenario if contracts are allowed to drift unsigned.

These days players call the tune and become free agents who can talk to any other club – as Alexander-Arnold will be doing – with impunity.

They’re also likely to get a huge signing-on fee from the buyers who have been spared of paying a transfer fee.

And that is where the real windfall is for the player.

Real Madrid have recent history here when Kylian Mbappe wound down his contract with Paris Saint-Germain who also lost a star and ended up with zilch.

Real agreed a £128m signing-on fee, payable over the French superstar’s five-year contract, on top of an annual salary of £13m.

Nice work if you can get it.

The Liverpool right-back is not quite in that stratosphere but for five years’ work, he’ll be looking at taking home circa £100m (RM560m).

He’d be joining the seemingly perennial Spanish champions and all-too-frequent kings of Europe.

Best in the world?

Real may not be much loved on Merseyside, but if Liverpool call themselves “European royalty” with six trophies, they have to bow to Real’s 15.

Real means royal in Spanish anyway and they have won six in the last 11 years!

For the record, Bayern Munich also have six which is one behind AC Milan who are second at the top table.

Donning the all-white of Real is the ultimate dream for many and players from the four corners, who find the lure irresistible.

The current side, with stars from Croatia, Brazil, Ukraine, England, France, Belgium, Germany and Uruguay in the ranks, is a typical example.

With its stellar history, glitz and glamour attached to its name, it’s the only club that is a step-up from Liverpool.

The new Bernabeu stadium is arguably the best football venue in the world and the players live like footballing royals.

There’s pressure too but Alexander-Arnold has his best mate Jude Bellingham there to ease his path.

If ever there was a no-brainer, this move is it.

So, it’s not surprising that his head is being turned.

A local boy, he has been at Liverpool for two decades, having joined at the tender age of six.

And he’s won everything.

He was part of the great Jurgen Klopp side to finally end the 30-year title drought.

He also won the sixth Champions League/European Cup, the Treble, the World Club Cup and much else.

So he’s ripe for a new challenge. See a bit of the world. Try something new.

A big adventure beckons and one that may enhance his chances of becoming the first full-back to win the Ballon d’Or.

And the money. It really is an offer he can’t refuse. Oh, and the weather’s better too.

Kopites may be encouraged by statements from a close confidant that “he’s not motivated by money at all. All he cares about is football and Liverpool. He’s obsessed.”

And he could always come back – or could he? He’s following in the footsteps of Steve McManaman and Michael Owen, neither of whom returned to Anfield.

Owen recently said he felt “not welcome at the club” but that may have been more to do with him later joining Manchester United.

McManaman was also called an opportunist but it was leaving for free that was the unforgivable part. Alexander-Arnold has not done this in quite the same way.

Indeed, had Liverpool’s hierarchy not become distracted two years ago, he may not be leaving at all.

But back then FSG thought of selling the club, CEO Mike Gordon took a back seat and then one director of football after another left.

Klopp, who was trying to rebuild and then going for a quadruple, had too much on his plate.

So the contract wasn’t signed.

Then Klopp himself announced he was quitting which made the full-back, as well as Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, wait and see what the new man was like.

Arne Slot has been brilliant and can’t be blamed for this, either. In fact, he might help persuade them to stay.

If Trent does leave, it will go down as one of the owners’ greatest mistakes – along with the £77 ticket price, trying to trade on the name of the city and, of course, the Super League debacle.

Helping get over any loss is Conor Bradley, an exciting young replacement, but a different type of player.

The young Northern Irishman started instead of Trent at Spurs but the senior man made his presence felt when he came on in the Carabao Cup game.

Make no mistake, if he leaves it would be a loss.

Gary Neville has said: “He’s the best passer of a ball at right-back that I’ve ever seen. Beckham and De Bruyne rolled into one – at right-back.”

Praise indeed from a former United man.

Nor does he deserve any vitriol from his own supporters.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.