Peter Crouch said that he does not think anyone is naive enough to think that Trent Alexander-Arnold has not made his mind up about leaving Liverpool.

The right-back has been incessantly linked with a move to Real Madrid since the start of the season, and it was widely reported during the recent international break that he is set to leave Liverpool in the summer.

Alexander-Arnold's contract at Anfield is due to expire in June and he is expected to sign a long-term deal with Spanish giant Madrid worth in excess of $280,000 per week, on top of a hefty signing-on bonus.



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Crouch was asked on The Peter Crouch Podcast if he thinks that Alexander-Arnold's situation has been decided behind the scenes and he responded: “I don’t think anyone’s naive enough to think that that's not the case.

I think, you know these things get sorted in advance and I think that will be the case.

“Otherwise, why would you sit there and take the grief that you’re getting when you know you can just announce it and and stop all that – if there isn’t another agenda?"

Asked why Alexander-Arnold hasn't just confirmed his impending departure to end the speculation over his future, Crouch responded: “[Announcing a departure] officially, that’s not going to go down well, to say the least, if I’m being perfectly honest!”

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Alexander-Arnold's emotive celebration after his match-winning goal against Leicester last weekend prompted some to question whether it was a suggestion that he was planning to stay at the club, but Crouch doesn't buy into that theory.

"I think that's just unadulterated joy," Crouch said of Alexander-Arnold's shirtless celebration

I don't think he's thought, 'oh I'm going to do this and everyone's going to talk about it after.' In my opinion, that's what that is

He's in that situation that Steven Gerrard was in when he was potentially going to Chelsea, and I think if you asked Steven now, he is very comfortable with his decision
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