03 Nov 2026 11:32:50
Hi Diddly Ho,
Some of you won't really care about this but I think some will.
There has been a lot of (planted) press coverage surrounding TAA's situation at Real Madrid.
Just to confirm what I know, he's had his team approaching clubs across Europe.
He wants out of Madrid.
I don't know where Liverpool stand on this, but from what I recall being told when he left, the club were blindsided by how things played out. A deal was on the table and near enough agreed, so they fully expected him to sign.
By the summer before his departure, the club had come to understand that his team were angling for a move to Madrid.
Liverpool continued to increase their offers and bonuses throughout the season, but his brother effectively shut the door without any reciprocation.
Personally, I don't see him returning. I don't think it would be a net positive for anyone other than himself.
Based on what I've heard about his team approaching clubs across Europe in search of another top club, they're coming across as rather amateurish. One club in particular has even questioned whether his representatives have the credentials to handle a player of his stature.
Diddly out.
03 Nov 2026 12:01:57
Cheers neighbourino.
All a bit of yuck really. Person with actual talent helps brother to become a leech, thus sacrificing his career and legacy. (At least that's how it comes across)
03 Nov 2026 12:39:36
Absolutely, they come across exactly like that.
It's almost as though they've watched how some of the more difficult agents operate and decided that's how you get the best deal for your client. But there's a difference between being a tough negotiator and being unnecessarily difficult, and I think they've completely misunderstood that.
I genuinely believe that if Trent had been managed by a professional representative, he'd either still be a Liverpool player or he'd be welcomed back with open arms.
I've heard plenty of stories about bad agents over the years, but from what I've been told, his brother has to be up there with the worst of them. It comes across as though the game-playing and trying to prove a point have become more important than what's actually best for the player.
Harry Kane is represented by his brother, and from what I've heard, he comes across incredibly well in negotiations. Jude Bellingham is another example. Things are handled professionally, negotiations are smooth, and there's no unnecessary attempt to play games.
It just shows that you don't necessarily need a background or formal education in the industry to do the job well. You need to understand how to deal with people, build relationships and recognise that being difficult for the sake of it doesn't make you a good agent.
Sorry for the tangent but I really think his brother has ruined his career.
Diddly out.
03 Nov 2026 12:59:03
Appreciate the info Ned. Regardless it's not our problem. He'll reap what he's sowed. I said on here it would never work out and yet again another Red thinks the grass might be greener without considering what they already had.
Could have been a legend. Now he'll be little more than a footnote in a legendary team with delusions of the Balon'Dor. I hope the money was worth it for him.
03 Nov 2026 13:14:17
I actually feel a bit sorry for him. Ruined his legacy with Liverpool over notions of granduer and bad management and I genuinely don't think he will ever get back to the player he was at Liverpool as know one else will put up with his laziness while defending.
Particularly when he is probably demanding crazy money. I for one wouldn't want him back, that ship has sailed. Plus I don't think he'd suit the manager's style of play.
03 Nov 2026 13:43:11
Time to move on from Trent without a doubt but agree it's sad to see how his career has or is panning out!
03 Nov 2026 13:44:26
Cheers, Ned!
If he was 25yo, I might be open minded about a potential redemption. He's not, so end of story.
03 Nov 2026 13:51:55
I don't really blame Trent for wanting a move to be honest, there's nothing wrong with wanting a new challenge after winning it all with his boyhood club.
The way it was all handled was absolutely horrible though.
He should have just been honest with the club and fans from the outset and not mess the club around to go on a free and the door would have always been open for him to return and he would have always been remembered fondly.
He has himself and his brother to thank for ruining not just his career but his legacy and good standing with the fans here.
It will be interesting to see where he ends up though, he's a very unique player and talent and he will need to pick his next move very carefully as he's not going to fit in tactically with many teams. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't fit in at Liverpool now even though his passing ability is sorely missed.
03 Nov 2026 13:59:57
Zero sympathy for the man, he made a bad choice and can deal with the consequences. Too old, too slow, too injury prone to be worth bringing back and on a purported £300k a week. His career is fizzling out and it can continue on the slide elsewhere. Just not here.
03 Nov 2026 14:39:43
I never begrudge him the move it was just the way that he went about it. As they say never look back. So thanks but no thanks.
{Ed025's Note - im with you Barry mate..
03 Nov 2026 15:30:46
His family saw a big financial opportunity with Madrid.
They emotionally angled Trent away from Liverpool.
He was once a local lad wanting to captain his local club but has been warped into glacticoism and superstar branding by those closest to him.
The day he turned into 'Trent' was the day' Alexander-Arnold' died i'm afraid.
Ta.
03 Nov 2026 16:16:07
He isn't the first player to leave Liverpool with delusions of grandeur and he won't be the last. The sad thing is he was always going to be better off at Liverpool if only he had trusted the club who had made him.
Don't know anything about his advisors but someone convinced he could win the Ballon D'or. He only had to look at his team mates to know that was never going to happen. In his pomp he was only ever our 4th best player.
03 Nov 2026 16:07:52
I said it at the time in the run up to the obvious fact he wasn't going to sign that his brother had been the chief instigator and not Trent himself.
Take the brother out of the way and Trent is still at Liverpool and possibly captain next season.
No you can see on the players face he knows he has ruined his career and legacy its such a shame.
Sometimes the grass is not greener and there are few who leave Liverpool and do any better.
03 Nov 2026 16:51:41
Well, his brother isn't an agent out of meritocracy, is he? He probably doesn't have the credentials. It's pure nepotism. I love to see nepotism blow up in people's faces!
03 Nov 2026 17:06:21
His family possibly swaying him is proof of what my mother often told me: " you can pick your friends, but you can't pick ye family".
TAA signed the RM contract it was totally down to him. One hopes there are no swap deals on the table, we pick our own players, we don't want other clubs to decide who we sign.
Just turned 28 and his best football is now behind him, that young RB lad from Benfica is a better choice for the future, the transfer money from not re-signing TAA can go towards the young Benfica lad. He made his bed for me, let him "LIE" on it.
03 Nov 2026 17:38:18
Sad if true Carra. Like others have said wouldn't have begrudged the move but it was handled atrociously.
03 Nov 2026 17:08:12
Carra
I'm sure you're correct regarding the family who I've mentioned before but it's slim to the fact, "trent" is a grown man who ultimately made the decision.
This wasn't a teenager being pressured by family leeches. Trent was a grown adult who wanted to be glued to jude bellingham and bellingham branding. I actually don't think he ever goes to Madrid if bellingham wasn't there. I'm super confident on that.
Also the lad was learning Spanish well in advance. He was always realistically going when they approached long before the media got wind.
I'm sure his family were certainly not in favour of Liverpool especially the male side. I'm aware the mother wanted him to stay at Liverpool.
Also "trent" had a good old laugh on his own about Liverpool at the press conference. He and his family essentially used the club as a stepping stone and professionally it's been terrible for him. He'll be lucky to see another world cup. Trent has to take accountability.
The decision was made by trent to leave and now it's in our hands. I'm hoping it's a no thanks from the club.
03 Nov 2026 18:18:05
Trent was 26 when he left, a grown man, you can peddle that "it was his agents/familys fault" stuff elsewhere. It certainly won't fly with me.
He thought he was better than he was, he didn't recognise what the club did for him, how Klopps's system flattered him and what that would mean if he went elsewhere. He saw something new and shiny at Madrid, and he never stopped to take the time and realise it was only fools gold.
I don't begrudge the kid, but I don't pity him either. He's a big boy; he made a call. It was the wrong one. That's life. At the end of the day, Klopps gone, so is his system. We've no room for defenders who can't defend, never mind ones that are overweight and disillusioned. He'll end up in Turkey at this rate, and not to get his teeth done. It's unfortunate but he made his bed.
03 Nov 2026 18:32:49
I'm with Chewy on the direction his career has gone in.
As for the future, my opinion is that he's been out of the intensity of PL football for too long and he'll never get it back.
I'm happy for him to return if the manager wants him, I doubt he will for reasons above.
I have zero sympathy for him, he's had an incredible career and made generational wealth. He can walk away fulfilled and uninjured with pots of money.
03 Nov 2026 18:47:15
It's a shame really. He's definitely burnt bridges with the fans. If we look past it all he'd still be an incredible player for us. I just can't see that fans would accept now.
03 Nov 2026 19:03:42
Abrupt. If he's so incredible why did tuchel alonso and now mourinho not want him? Why did slot want to give Bradley a lot more time on the pitch which created the tantrums by trent? Why did slot mention his essentially unprofessionalism in training? Why has he been late multiple times to madrids training?
Klopps long gone.
This lad is 28 and will hitting 29 when he's realistically available. Trent doesn't have the legs for the modern game. He's also going to cost teams defensively. No ones watched him in Madrid atall clearly. He does not have the stamina to get up and down the pitch.
03 Nov 2026 19:05:41
Great posts Chewy, and others.
03 Nov 2026 18:44:47
Correct chewy.
I don't like the family angle either and a lot were aware how the family were moving.
Trent did an interview only there in August, again defending the move because he most likely thought he'd be first choice this season at Madrid and firing.
It's once again backfired and unsurprisingly he's steered clear from all media. This isn't a lad that's lived with regret. This is a lad who's career is hanging in the balance and he wants this club to save it. It's only because it's ended up soo bad professionally, he's getting the brother to make phone calls.
No thanks. Get lost.
It also gets forgotten how trent the person was transforming on the pitch. Arrogance half assed performances effort wise and taking his tantrums when subbed for Bradley. The boy has kept his dummy in at Madrid. That tells me he thought he was too big for his boots here.
Liverpool is a massive club. It's better than Madrid morally and there's a soul to this club. Trent joined a machine that has spat him out and it will do the same to bellingham should an opportunity arise to do soo. that's "his dream club".
03 Nov 2026 20:08:18
"And the beat goes on". Seriously, is there anybody who actually thinks that the conversation is moving on?
03 Nov 2026 21:00:02
TAA is 28yrs old and has (I'm led to believe) 3 to 4 times the amount of football mins played than Araujo who is less than 6mths younger.
TAA was never known for his pace but those mins are going to catch up soon.
I'm not sure which top team would be suitable for him now.
03 Nov 2026 22:28:43
I understand why Trent went to Madrid, it was pretty much in the order of
1) Money
2) Madrid Lifestyle
3) Instagram Girlfriends
4) Bellingham
5) Ego
No mention of football in that list, the ego is for the Balon d'Or.
The club that laughed him out was PSG - they are now a proper football team with identity - you will not find then buying any washed up player on big money again.
I am surprised he has not gone into Gareth Bale mode, maybe he does not like golf?
03 Nov 2026 22:29:02
Nothing gives me greater pleasure than it all going tits up for him and his brother.
03 Nov 2026 23:19:20
They did the same thing when we gave Hendo that daft new long term contract in his 30s. Approached journos and pretending PSG were after him. It all looks a bit daft and screams of his brother watching a YouTube video of how to be an agent for dummies.
04 Nov 2026 01:03:59
What, it''s better than Christmas @SJ, really?
04 Nov 2026 05:54:38
Munich have talked to his brother and want him and he will be a Munich player if player demands can be managed. He is not going to cost a lot but he is apparently on 400k euros a week. Which is less than what I thought. Liverpool offered him 350k pounds so its not all that different.
04 Nov 2026 07:22:52
i have no issues with him.
but he's not what we need, not sure if this will ever change so all the best out there for him.
04 Nov 2026 07:39:20
As agents go. Kane's brother is able?