Gary Lineker agrees with Jamie Redknapp's comments about Liverpool 'missing' Trent Alexander-Arnold this season. The right-back completed his dream, albeit controversial, transfer to Real Madrid in the summer after months of speculation surrounding his future.

His announcement in Maywas met with outrage as many die-hard Reds couldn't comprehend why he would want to leave his childhood club for what they perceived as a major European rival. Adding fuel to the fire was the belief that Alexander-Arnold had deliberately let his contract run down, meaning Liverpool received no compensation for his transfer.

The defender was met with boos when he was brought on against Arsenal at Anfield immediately after the announcement. After being publicly defended by Andy Robertson and former manager Jurgen Klopp, the reception was more mixed in his final game, which moved him to tears.

Arne Slot hoped promising defender Conor Bradley and £29.5million summer recruit Jeremie Frimpong would easily fill the void left by Alexander-Arnold, who, despite his world-class ability on the ball, had often been criticised for his inconsistent defending.

But former Match of the Day presenter Lineker has voiced his concerns over Slot's side, stating they are missing the impact of 27-year-old in attack this season. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast following Liverpool's third consecutive defeat, a 2-1 loss to Chelsea, Lineker said: "In terms of creativity, as much as anything else, I think they're really missing Trent [Alexander-Arnold].

READ MORE: Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool theory raised as pundits reach agreement

READ MORE: Ibrahima Konate 'offered' new Liverpool contract to prevent Trent Alexander-Arnold repeat

"Before that, sometimes Trent would go forward and they would, perhaps, get exposed defensively. But what he gives you going the other way, it's impossible to replace.

"There is not another player I can think of in world football who plays that position [right-back] in the way that he plays it offensively.

"I also think that Mo [Salah] is missing him, that connection that they had. Yes, sometimes they would get exposed in behind, but they would have someone try and cover that position - last season it was mostly [Dominik] Szoboszlai, previous to that would be Jordan Henderson.

"You've got to say it was worth his weight in gold going forward, and I always used to say, 'Stop worrying about him [Alexander-Arnold] making the odd tiny mistake defensively, because what he gives you the other way is incredible."

His feelings echo former Reds midfielder Redknapp’s thoughts last weekend as he said: "They've got problems at full-back. They're missing Trent [Alexander-Arnold].

"They haven't played the same right-back since the Burnley game. Bradley had a tough 45 minutes.”

With the pair’s comments in mind and several months passing for fan frustration to simmer, perhaps it is clearer to see now just how much Alexander-Arnold offered Liverpool. The defender himself had always been open about how difficult it would be for him to move on too, having said prior to his free transfer: "I’ll always be a Liverpool fan."

Alexander-Arnold told the official Liverpool website when explaining his decision to leave: "I’ve sacrificed everything, I’ve done everything I’ve ever needed to do to try to help the team win games. And no matter what, that will never change.

"I’ll forever be a fan of the club, there’ll be no change in that. I’ll always be watching the games, I’ll be supporting from a distance. But in terms of a player at the club I think now is the right time for me to move on and challenge myself elsewhere."

It spoke volumes of the player’s love for the club, and his tough start to life in the Spanish capital may have made the homesickness that much worse. Alexander-Arnold did not hit the ground running for Real Madrid in his first few games, failing to score or assist.

Even before his injury against Marseille last month, he was already facing criticism, with some sections of the Spanish media preferring club legend Dani Carvajal’s more all-action and passionate approach to the same role.

Alexander-Arnold may still not be fit to play when Los Blancos next face Getafe after the international break, as well as El Clasico afterwards, by which point he would have been out for six weeks in total. A tantalising reunion with former club Liverpool in the Champions league on November 4 might be a more realistic target.

How the Anfield crowd will respond remains to be seen, but the past few months may have given them enough time to reflect on his remarkable two decades with the club.

Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.