Gareth Bale said he "couldn't say no" to joining Real Madrid when the opportunity arose in 2013, as Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold prepares to make the move to the Bernabeu this summer.

Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to join Madrid on a free transfer when his contract expires in the off-season, ending a 21-year association with the club that started when he was a young boy.

The 26-year-old was one of three key players who were facing uncertain futures at Anfield for most of the season, but Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have committed to new deals over the last couple of weeks, leaving Alexander-Arnold as the only player whose future plans have not been officially clarified.



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While he was not addressing Alexander-Arnold's situation specifically, Bale spoke about the pull of Madrid in an interview with the Metro.

"I think it is well known that Real Madrid is a club I have loved since I was young – there is a photo of me wearing the shirt somewhere when I was a boy.

So, when the opportunity came to play for Real Madrid, a club that I had loved since I was a kid, it was one that I couldn’t turn down."

Alexander-Arnold has not spoken publicly about his future since September, and it was widely reported during the March international break that he is set to snub a new contract at Anfield in favor of moving to Spain.



Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to join Real Madrid

The outside world doesn't know what's going to happen."

Alexander-Arnold is expected to sign a long-term contract with Madrid worth around $285,000 per week, while he is also set to secure an eight-figure signing-on bonus, which will be spread over the length of his deal.