Wayne Rooney reveals how he spurned approaches from Real Madrid and Barcelona as Man United legend urges Liverpool fans to lay off Trent Alexander-Arnold

Wayne Rooney has revealed just how close he came to leaving Man United for Spain and says he can understand why Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold may be tempted to join Real Madrid this summer.

Last week, Mail Sport reported that the European champions remain confident of signing Alexander-Arnold this summer — with sources in Spain insisting the move is ‘all set and done’. 

With the England star out of contract in the summer — along with Virgil van Dijk and Salah — he has continually been linked with the Spanish giants.

The news has not been received well on the red half of Merseyside with fans even going as far as to burn shirts with his name on.

Rooney, who began his career at Everton before becoming Man United’s all-time top scorer, however believes a move to Real Madrid makes sense for Alexander-Arnold.

‘If Trent Alexander-Arnold does join Real Madrid this summer, fair play to him,’ Rooney wrote in his BBC Sport column. 

Wayne Rooney celebrates the second goal of his hat-trick on debut for Man United in the 2004 Champions League tie against Fenerbahce. He would go on to score 253 goals for the club

Real Madrid are European champions having beaten Borussia Dortmund at Wembley last year

‘I was once tempted to make a big move to Spain myself. 

‘Alexander-Arnold is 26 and out of contract at the end of the season. He is in a position where he either commits the rest of his career to Liverpool or decides to go to Real — who clearly want him.

‘If he was to leave Liverpool for any other club you might wonder why. But, because it is Real we are talking about, I don’t think you could question it as a career move.

‘Real are the biggest club in the world with an incredible history, so it would be a massive opportunity. I’d understand if he felt it was too good to turn down.’   

Rooney addressed the anger over a potential transfer felt by many Liverpool fans and pointed out that they may not be aware of what was going on behind closed doors.  

‘I get why Liverpool fans are upset and even angry at the thought of Alexander-Arnold leaving,’ he added.

‘All supporters like to see local lads coming through at their club, and they never like to see them being sold.

‘I feel like it is the fact he would be going on a free which has upset them the most, but that situation is down to Liverpool as well as Alexander-Arnold.

A move to the Bernabeu would see Alexander-Arnold join forces with friend Jude Bellingham

Rooney says Alexander-Arnold receives more abuse than Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk (right)

Rooney’s Man United twice came up short against Barcelona in the Champions League final

‘We don’t know why his contract has been allowed to run down — or whether that is down to him or the club – but it is something Liverpool have done with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk this season too, and also in the past with Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino.

‘No-one seems to have said much about the other players letting their deals run down, just Alexander-Arnold. I think that’s because he’s a local lad, which feels a bit unfair.

‘Alexander-Arnold has been an excellent servant to the club, so you can’t begrudge him wanting to try something new.

‘It would not just be a shame for Liverpool fans if he left because you want to see the best players in the Premier League but, if he does go to Real, I wish him well.’

Rooney revealed that he was ‘ready to go and play in Spain’ himself before dramatically signing a new deal at Old Trafford in 2010. 

The striker signed a five-year contract which made him the best-paid player in the club’s history only two days after stating unequivocally that he wanted to leave Old Trafford because he thought they were a club in decline.

And Rooney says he was mightily tempted to join Barcelona who had beaten Man United in the 2009 Champions League final and would do so again two years later.

The England legend admits the idea of playing with Lionel Messi (right) was very tempting

One furious Liverpool fan posted a video of him burning an Alexander-Arnold replica jersey

Trent Alexander-Arnold has already won the Premier League, FA Cup (pictured), League Cup and European Cup during his time at boyhood club Liverpool

‘When I told Manchester United in 2010 that I did not want to sign a new deal and put in a transfer request, three clubs came in for me,’ Rooney told BBC Sport.

‘Manchester City are often talked about as being one of them, but I don’t think that was ever an option for me — the teams who made an approach were Chelsea, Real and Barcelona.

‘In my head, I was ready to go and play in Spain and some talks did take place.

‘A deal with Real looked more likely for a couple of days but it was Barcelona whom I thought about the most, and how I might fit into their side alongside Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets.

‘In the end I decided to stay at United, but Barca had an incredible team then and any player would have loved to have played in it.’