Alexander-Arnold is set to move to the La Liga giants once his contract expires in what is perhaps the biggest deal of the summer. There is no doubt that the 26-year-old has the quality for Madrid, but many have criticized the defender for the way he has gone about leaving a club he has been with since he was six years old.
Despite this, Di Canio spoke to FootItalia about how he understands the decision to join the Spanish side as it allows the Liverpool star to broaden his horizons and gain more experience outside of the Premier League.
“I can't blame him for this (leaving Liverpool) because when you move to Real Madrid, it’s not only about being the top club in the world. You can win something every year at the top level. But you're also gonna learn Spanish with the family.
It’s a part of the culture that you can improve in maybe two, three years there and then go back to England again with bags of experience for him and for his life because football finishes. In seven years, his time as a protagonist on the field will finish. And then keep what you did on the field, but what you had with experience will go hand to hand with your private life.”
Reports indicate that the Spanish club is ready to offer him an annual salary of €15 million (£13m/$16m), a significant increase from his current earnings at Liverpool. This, as well as a better chance at a league title as well as European glory, is enough to tempt any player. There is no doubt that when Madrid come knocking it is hard to ignore the call and Di Canio clearly understands how Alexander-Arnold has been convinced to join the club even if it means severing the relationship with his boyhood side.