Klopp's Prophetic Praise for Academy Star
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once made a startling admission, declaring that Trent Alexander-Arnold was his best 'signing' for the club, despite the defender coming through the academy rather than arriving via a transfer. This praise is now echoing around Anfield as the Reds struggle profoundly in his absence under new boss Arne Slot.
Liverpool's Alarming Collapse Under New Management
The reigning Premier League champions are in the midst of a severe downturn, having lost nine of their last 12 games across all competitions. The pressure is mounting on Slot after a humiliating 4-1 thrashing by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday, 27th November 2025. This dismal run marks a stark contrast to the team that swept to the title just last season.
While Klopp oversaw the arrivals of modern legends like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson Becker, he was adamant about the unique value of the homegrown talent. Alexander-Arnold ended his 20-year association with Liverpool this summer, completing a emotional move to Real Madrid at the age of 26.
The Domino Effect on Mohamed Salah
The most tangible consequence of Alexander-Arnold's exit appears to be the dramatic dip in form of star forward Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian icon, who signed a lucrative new £400,000-per-week contract in April, has failed to hit his previous heights.
The statistics reveal a stark picture of his decline. This season, Salah is averaging a goal every 287.6 minutes, his worst return since joining the club in 2017. This plummets from the 116.55 minutes per goal he averaged in Alexander-Arnold's final campaign. Furthermore, his shots per game have dropped from 3.4 last season to just 2.5 this year.
This downturn is directly linked to the loss of his telepathic understanding with Alexander-Arnold on the right flank. Since the full-back's departure, manager Slot has experimented with Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, and Dominik Szoboszlai in the position, but none have replicated the creative synergy that made Liverpool's right side so deadly.
Klopp's comments from a 2020 appearance on the Pure Football Podcast now seem prophetic. He detailed how his assistant, Pep Lijnders, brought Alexander-Arnold to his attention, highlighting his versatility. 'He was not fit enough. But he was a kid... we saw immediately, wow, football wise no doubts,' Klopp said, praising the player's incredible development and resilience.
With Alexander-Arnold now starring in Spain, Liverpool and Salah are left searching for answers, and the void left by Klopp's so-called 'best signing' has never felt larger.
