Is Trent Alexander-Arnold buying Ligue 1 side Nantes? Journalist provides update amid rumors of bid from Liverpool star
Liverpool star defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has reportedly submitted a bid to purchase French club Nantes, according to L’Equipe. The claim was certainly surprising, given that Alexander-Arnold is only 25 and remains a key player for Liverpool.
However, this wouldn’t be the first time the full-back has invested in a sports team, as he is already a minority shareholder in the French Formula 1 team, Alpine F1.
According to the report, Alexander-Arnold’s father, Michael Arnold, who serves as his manager, had been in talks with Nantes owner and French businessman Waldemar Kita about purchasing the club. However, The Athletic journalist James Pearce has now dismissed these reports, stating that the purchase is “not true.”
The rumors began with Alexander-Arnold reportedly looking to invest in the French market. L’Equipe mentioned that he had considered both AS Saint-Etienne and Le Havre, but eventually expressed interest in Nantes. FC Nantes owner Kita is said to be frustrated with the financial burden of the club and has been seeking to sell it, while his failure to build a new stadium has also not gone well with the Nantes fans.
The report also claimed that the Liverpool defender and his father met with Kita, with the takeover bid said to be around €100 million, including a direct €80 million payment. However, Kita’s desire to recoup his losses may make the purchase difficult for Alexander-Arnold, as it may not meet his terms. Nevertheless, these claims have been refuted by Pearce.
This is certainly not the first time a footballer has shown interest in purchasing a club. Kylian Mbappe bought a majority stake in Ligue 2 club Caen, while several former footballers, including David Beckham, Ronaldo, and Didier Drogba, have also been part of club ownership groups.
Trent Alexander-Arnold sheds light on his role at Liverpool under Arne Slot
Alexander-Arnold has had a strong start to the season, with Liverpool winning three of their four Premier League matches, as well as their opening Champions League game against AC Milan (3-1).
The full-back has been given the freedom to either invert from his right-back position or push higher up the pitch to deliver crosses from wide areas. This has significantly increased his involvement in Liverpool’s attacking play, as he provided insight into his role under Arne Slot.
“It changes fluidly throughout games depending on how the opponents press us so there’re a lot of tactical changes within games - where to go, where not to go, when to stay wide, when to drop into the back line, when to go into midfield, when to be kind of like a No 8 or when Mo [Salah] rolls inside and I’m a high winger," he said (via Mirror).
Following their success Milan, Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool will shift their focus back to the Premier League, where they will take on AFC Bournemouth at Anfield, followed by a clash with West Ham United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, September 25.