Trent Alexander-Arnold made a surprising choice for the best youngster he has ever played against.
The Reds right-back has become the best academy graduate in a generation since he burst onto the scene in 2016.
In that time, Trent has faced the best players in the world time and time again.
But speaking on the We are Liverpool podcast today, the 25-year-old was asked about a name that had impressed him at youth level but never quite made the cut.
“I would say Brandon Barker played for City,” Alexander-Arnold explained. “I was [under] 18 and playing for the 21s for the first time, Anfield, they got beaten 3-0, he scored two goals and got an assist, I came off the pitch about 60 [minutes after the start of the match].
“To this day, in my opinion, it is the enemy who destroyed me! I’ve never had anything like this before. At this point, I’m thinking, “This kid is going to be the best player in the world.” » I have never seen anyone move so quickly, so sharply and efficiently. »
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Trent makes a surprising decision
Let’s be honest, we’ve never heard of Barker. This perhaps shows our ignorance, but it also shows that the now 27-year-old never became the player Trent expected.
However, Barker later appeared for City when he came on as a substitute in an FA Cup match against Chelsea at the age of 19. Since then, the former England junior international has led a rather itinerant career. Barker has played for eight different teams in four different countries.
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
He probably spent his most successful period as a City player. Baker spent the 2017/18 season on loan at Hibernian, playing 30 times and scoring two goals in all competitions.
After leaving City permanently in 2019, the winger found a permanent home at Rangers under Steven Gerrard. But after playing just 27 games in three seasons, Barker moved to Reading permanently in 2021.
Just four appearances for the Royals followed, before just five more in Cyprus with Omonia last season. Now, after leaving Omonia, Barker finds himself without a club.
A reminder that so many things have to work in a young player’s favor for him to succeed at a big club. Things couldn’t have been more opposite for Alexander-Arnold and Barker since they met all those years ago.
