The argument for a Trent homecoming

It is not often you find yourself nodding along to Sam Allardyce, but here we are. The former Everton and England manager has put forward a straightforward, sensible case for Liverpool to bring Trent Alexander-Arnold back to Merseyside, and when you strip away the noise surrounding the original departure, it is hard to disagree with the bones of it.

Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid last June was always going to be divisive. The £10million fee, arriving just before his contract expired, left a bitter taste on the red half of the city. But whatever was felt about the manner of his exit, the story since has not been the glorious vindication the player might have hoped for. Injuries and a dip in form blighted his first season at the Bernabeu, and the arrival of Jose Mourinho as manager this summer has done little to improve his prospects. He was overlooked entirely for the recent World Cup, a stark illustration of where his standing currently sits.

What Allardyce actually said, and why it carries weight

Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast with BOYLE Sports and Footy Accumulators, Allardyce was characteristically blunt in his assessment. "At 27, Trent still has years ahead of him," he said. "This is his prime. He's at Real Madrid, and his experience there should stand him in good stead to be even better than he was when he left Liverpool, even though he hasn't played as often as he would've liked."

The former England boss was equally direct about what needs to happen next. "If he is going to be a Real Madrid player then this season he needs to be playing more than ever, if not, he should come back to the Premier League, Liverpool could do with him back." On the perennial question of Alexander-Arnold's defensive limitations, Allardyce was refreshingly fair-minded: "He's not much worse than most other full-backs. His quality on the ball and ability to open up the opposition, whether it's with short or long passes, are massive assets."

There is a reason that argument resonates. The criticism of Alexander-Arnold's defending was always loudest during Liverpool's leaner periods, and it was never entirely proportionate. Allardyce's point that most modern right-backs are hardly paragons of defensive discipline is one that does not get said enough.

Where things stand and what comes next

For now, Alexander-Arnold's immediate focus will be on England. Thomas Tuchel has recalled him to the Three Lions squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Spain, Czechia and Croatia, a significant vote of confidence from an international manager who clearly still sees value in what he offers.

Whether that translates into renewed club interest remains to be seen. At 27, as Allardyce rightly notes, Alexander-Arnold is entering the period when elite players tend to produce their very best football. If Real Madrid under Mourinho cannot offer him regular minutes, the logic of a return to familiar surroundings becomes increasingly difficult to argue against. Liverpool supporters will have complicated feelings about the idea, and rightly so, but football has a habit of making yesterday's headlines feel very distant, very quickly. Whether the Reds would genuinely move for their former academy graduate is a question that may well demand an answer before this season is out.