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Liverpool legend John Aldridge says he can understand why Reds fans have reacted with anger and disappointment at the news Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to be heading to Real Madrid this summer — but a mistake was made in not tying him down earlier.

Last week, it emerged that Los Blancos were confident of signing Alexander-Arnold when his Liverpool contract expires.

Nothing is completed yet but the expectation is that the Reds' vice-captain will be heading for the exit door.

"Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool was always going to come out, the timing was never going to be perfect," Aldridge wrote in his Liverpool ECHO column.

It is what it is, we move on."

Aldridge also feels that Liverpool should have sold Alexander-Arnold in January when Real Madrid tried to bring the deal forward.

Now you look at it and think selling him in January would have been the better option."

Liverpool.com says: Losing Alexander-Arnold in the winter window would have been ludicrous

Signing a replacement then would have been almost impossible and there was no guarantee that he was heading for Spain on a free at that point.

As a unique talent, finding a replacement for Alexander-Arnold will be very tough

Liverpool will need to find someone, though, and it is likely going to be a very different kind of full-back given there is no one like the number 66.