And then there was one. If sense has belatedly been found in the past fortnight in dealings between Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool, then what of the last man standing? What of Trent Alexander-Arnold, perched all by himself at a club where walking alone was never the done thing?
We pretty much know where his story heads next. And we know how the shirt-burners feel about that. But what about the why — his why — beyond the obvious?
There are multiple conversations to be had here and they can touch on the dubious wisdom in thinking Real Madrid is the right move at this time, or the ego driving it.