Trent Alexander-Arnold given motivation to sign new Liverpool contract and reject Real Madrid

Former defender Stephen Warnock believes will stay at Anfield .

Alexander-Arnold, 26, is out of contract at the end of June and wanted by . It's unclear whether the England star, who has won every major honor with Liverpool, will sign a new deal or join the reigning European champion. He can enter pre-contract negotiations with Madrid as early as January, causing anxiety on Merseyside.

Yet Warnock is confident that Alexander-Arnold will commit his future to the Reds. The ex-defender believes the Alexander-Arnold will want to inherit the captaincy from Virgil van Dijk when the 33-year-old veteran calls time on his Liverpool career.

Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live ahead of Tuesday's Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen: "There is a lot of worry on Merseyside that Trent Alexander-Arnold may be the one to leave, but I think he will stay.

"There have been discussions about him wanting to be Liverpool captain in the future and for a boyhood fan that means a lot. He will be wanting to lift a Premier League, Champions League, a cup, lots of trophies as Liverpool captain. There is talk about Real Madrid but it is just that at the moment."

Alexander-Arnold graduated from Liverpool's academy and has since played more than 300 games for the club - winning the Premier League title, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, Community Shield, European Super Cup, and Club World Cup.

Alexander-Arnold isn't the only big Liverpool player out of contract next summer. Van Dijk has also entered the final eight months of his contract - and so has Mohamed Salah, 33. Although Liverpool fans want both Van Dijk and Salah to stay, losing Alexander-Arnold will be a bigger blow to the Reds due to his younger age and higher market value.

According to , Alexander-Arnold is valued at $76.5 million dollars - more than Salah ($60.1 million) and Van Dijk ($30.1 million).