Liverpool legend John Barnes took a cheeky jab at Michael Owen while discussing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential transfer to Real Madrid.
The exchange happened during Premier League Productions’ live coverage of Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Sunday (April 20), where both Barnes, 61, and Owen, 45, were part of the broadcast team.
The focus soon shifted to Alexander-Arnold, 26, who netted the winning goal with a stunning left-footed volley and celebrated passionately, fueling speculation around his future. The Liverpool right-back, whose contract ends in June, has been heavily linked to Real Madrid.
When asked by Sky Sports if he was planning to leave, Alexander-Arnold remained tight-lipped: “Like I’ve said all season, I’m not going to go into details. Days like today are special — scoring goals, winning games, being in title races. These are moments I’ll always cherish.”
Barnes and Owen, both of whom have ties to Liverpool and Real Madrid (Owen played for both clubs, while Barnes was once linked with a move to Madrid in the late 1980s), shared their takes on the matter.
Barnes quipped, “There was a chance for a Liverpool player to go to Real Madrid and wear the white shirt, but he didn’t. Some of us can resist it,” playfully referencing Owen’s move to the Spanish giants in 2004 — a deal worth around £8 million plus midfielder Antonio Nunez.
Though no move ever materialized for Barnes, he remained at Liverpool until 1997 before joining Newcastle United.
Owen, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2001, later told the Liverpool Echo in December 2024 that he’d be open to advising Alexander-Arnold. “If he reached out to me, of course I’d chat. I speak with lots of people — it comes with the job in TV. If Trent called, I’d absolutely be there.”