Thames: Arnold wants to try something new, March showdown with Slot is supported and teammates understand

May 5th, the official announcement that Arnold will leave Liverpool after his contract expires this summer, ending his 20-year Reds career. The players are expected to join Real Madrid in their free agency. The Times published an article saying that Arnold chose to leave the team not because he lost love for the club, nor because he thought the team could not continue to succeed, but because he wanted to try something new at the age of 26.

Arnold won all honors with Liverpool at the age of 23: the Champions League, the European Super Cup, the Club World Cup, the Premier League, the League Cup and the FA Cup. He is the youngest player to accomplish this feat in England and of course he can try to win it all again, even many times. The coach has been trying to improve his defensive ability and optimize his role since Slott took over Klopp, but in the mind of the player, his goal is basically to conquer everything he already knows.

End, Arnold decided to walk into a new locker room and become a new player on a team, proving himself to his teammates and coaches again. In a new country, feeling a new culture, and most importantly, having new motivation, friendship with England’s teammate Bellingham is not the decisive factor. Renewing a contract with Liverpool is a safe choice, and Arnold has never considered anything else. The 2022-23 season was a tough year for him, and Arnold felt a new look from his new role as Klopp asked him to come from right back to midfield to direct the game.

Liverpool should have negotiated a contract extension with him when the player contract expires two years later, because rumors about Real Madrid's interest in Arnold were already rampant at that time. Perhaps Liverpool wanted to see if Arnold could maintain his level at the time, but at least from the beginning, the club did not show a consistent willingness. The other reason for the delay in the contract renewal negotiations is that the club's management is facing previous changes. Julian Ward, who took over Edwards, stepped down after taking office for one year, and Fenway President Mike Gordon also retreated behind the scenes. At the beginning of the new season, Klopp began to doubt whether he still had the enthusiasm to continue coaching.

Richard Hughes was officially appointed as the club's sports director, and the first time he contacted Arnold's representative before taking office was in April 2024, and then made a formal contract renewal offer that month when Slot took office as Liverpool coach. People think Hughes took on a "mess", but his handling is already excellent, and there is no resentment within the club about Arnold's possible departure. If Liverpool's response in the contract extension negotiations is a bit slow, there have been signs in recent months that no matter what conditions are proposed, it is enough to convince Arnold to stay.

Negotiations between the two sides actually stopped in March. During that international match day, Arnold and Slot had a face-to-face conversation. The player explained his decision to leave. The coach expressed support for this, and the locker room teammates also understood. Arnold's brother Taylor was in Dubai and had a conversation with the rest. Some people have criticized Arnold's delay in expressing his opinion. This incident made the players feel stressed, but he did not create chaos within the team.