Stephen Warnock does not believe Trent Alexander-Arnold will swap Liverpool for Real Madrid until after the current season ends.
Alexander-Arnold has been widely reported to be a transfer target for the La Liga giants, with the Spanish club expected to swoop for the 26-year-old in the summer when he is a free agent.
However, Madrid reportedly attempted to acquire Alexander-Arnold shortly after the January transfer window opened, and while Liverpool are said to have rejected the move, it did little to quiet the chatter that the right-back could leave Anfield earlier than expected.
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Former Reds player Warnock is not worried about Alexander-Arnold's potential mid-season departure, although the retired full-back admitted that he can see the appeal of making the jump sooner than later.
"Perhaps at the start of the season, he didn’t foresee Liverpool being so strong at the top in both competitions and didn’t see the demise of Real Madrid the way they have struggled this season," Warnock explained to spinbet.com.
"We all know Madrid come on strong though in the second half of the season and he will probably feel he can add to that as well. I’m still torn with what Trent will do. I want him to stay because it would be great to see a Liverpool fan become captain in the future and potentially lift trophies although it is very difficult to do so. We also know the pull of Madrid as well though.
"My gut feeling says the summer if he does leave."