After signing a new contract with Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that he is setting his sights on becoming one of the leaders in Jurgen Klopp ’s squad.
The right-back has put pen to paper on a new deal which will see him stay at Anfield until at least 2025, becoming one of the club’s highest earners in the process.
Despite still being only 22-years-old, Alexander-Arnold has been a key part of the Liverpool teams which won the Champions League and Premier League in successive seasons.
Though his form took a downturn last season, like most of his team-mates, he was still included in England’s squad for Euro 2020 before an injury ruled him out of the tournament.
Alexander-Arnold is one of the most experienced players in Liverpool’s squad, having made more than 150 appearances since making his debut in 2016.
He has also been consistently touted as a future Reds captain, something that the Englishman hinted was one of his aims.
“It's about just winning things, leading the team as well in certain ways, being more of a leader on the pitch, off the pitch for the younger players,” he told Liverpool’s club website.
“Establishing myself in those kind of roles as a leader would be something I've got my eye on.”
Klopp’s assistant manager Pep Lijnders hailed the right-back earlier this week, stating his believe that he will one day skipper the Reds.
“I see a leader, I see someone who controls his emotions, a future captain. A leader by example,” Lijnders wrote in a pre-season diary for the Liverpool website.
And the right-back believes he is ready to step into that role, stating that he wants to take on a similar role to the one Jordan Henderson and James Milner played earlier in his career.
“Someone who's capable of fulfilling those roles and being a captain without necessarily having the armband on your arm is something that I've always wanted to try to be,” he said.
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“So just being a role model for the younger players, trying to keep them on the right path and being there for encouragement when they need that.
“Just mentoring, I'd say – kind of what like Hendo and Millie [Milner] were doing to me when I was a bit younger.
“Then just kind of nurturing them into young men that are capable of achieving anything really.”
The right-back also hailed the impact of Henderson, Milner and Virgil Van Dijk, stating that he will hope to emulate the leadership they have shown in recent seasons.
“I've been around some amazing leaders. Those three that you mentioned were definitely up there as the three best that I've been in and around,” Alexander-Arnold added.
“I'm privileged to be able to pick up things and learn things from them. They're all different leaders in their own way – some lead by their actions and some by their words.
“But at the end of the day, leadership is leadership, and I think it's important to find what kind of role you have, who you are and don't try to be something that you're not.
“Try to lead in the way that's best for you to help the team.”
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