Michael Owen is advising Trent Alexander-Arnold to go and test himself at Real Madrid if they present him with an offer to join them on a free transfer next year.
The former Reds’ ace, who himself left Liverpool for the Spanish giants back in 2004 after coming through the Anfield ranks in a similar fashion to Trent, believes a switch to the Bernabéu from Anfield would be a great alternative, should the Reds’ defender wish to try something different in his career.
Owen said: “If Trent leaves, it’s not because he hates Liverpool. When I left Liverpool, it’s not because I hated Liverpool, it’s because that might be something that I’ll regret if I don’t try it. That was my attitude.
“My advice to Trent would be: ‘If you’re not really interested in seeing a different side of the football in terms of playing in a different country, different team, etc then stay at Liverpool all your life because you’re not going to get any better anywhere else’.
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“The only other great experience that I could see for Trent is to play for Real Madrid. That’s nothing to do with liking a team, supporting a team, whatever, that’s just, do you want that life experience or are you happy playing for Liverpool all your life and it’s not a bad choice is it? I mean, what a lovely position to be in if that was the case.
“I don’t know about the grass being greener. Fans think that they possibly own certain players and all the rest of it.
“But as a person going through life, sometimes somebody wants a different experience in life and it’s only a short career. I don’t think necessarily everybody always moves because they think it will be better elsewhere but to have an experience in life.
“Don’t get me wrong, some people live in the same house all their life but some people like to move into a different area or a different country or whatever. It’s a life experience.”
Michael Owen fact file
- Full Name: Michael James Owen
- Date of Birth: December 14, 1979
- Place of Birth: Chester, England
- Position: Striker
- Height: 1.73 m
Michael Owen was scouted by Liverpool at the age of ten and joined their youth academy. He made his professional debut for Liverpool in 1996 at the age of 17.
Club Career
- Liverpool (1996–2004): Owen scored 158 goals in 297 appearances. He was known for his speed and clinical finishing. His time at Liverpool was marked by winning the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup.
- Real Madrid (2004–2005): Owen moved to Real Madrid for £8 million. He scored 16 goals in 45 appearances.
- Newcastle United (2005–2009): Owen joined Newcastle for a club-record fee of £16.8 million. His time was marred by injuries, but he still managed to score 30 goals in 79 appearances.
- Manchester United (2009–2012): Owen won the Premier League title in the 2010-2011 season and scored a memorable hat-trick in the Champions League against Wolfsburg.
- Stoke City (2012–2013): Owen ended his career at Stoke City, retiring in 2013.
International Career
- England National Team (1998–2008): Owen earned 89 caps and scored 40 goals. He is remembered for his stunning goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.
Achievements
- Ballon d’Or (2001): Owen won the prestigious award at the age of 22, becoming the first English player to do so since Kevin Keegan in 1979.
- FIFA 100: In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world’s greatest living players.
- Premier League Golden Boot: Owen won this award twice, in 1998 and 1999.
Post-Retirement
Since retiring, Owen has become a racehorse breeder and owner. He is also a sports pundit and commentator.
Interesting Facts
- Racehorse Breeding: Owen owns a successful horse racing business, Manor House Stables, in Cheshire.
- Early Fame: Owen was a teenage sensation, famously scoring a goal in the 1998 World Cup against Argentina, which is still celebrated as one of England’s greatest goals.
- Injuries: His career was significantly affected by injuries, particularly hamstring issues, which some believe prevented him from reaching even greater heights.