Real Madrid confirm Trent Alexander-Arnold transfer decision to Liverpool
Real Madrid have informed Liverpool of their desire to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold, talkSPORT understands. The Spanish giants are not obliged to register an interest in Alexander-Arnold as he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club in January. Alexander-Arnold could join Real Madrid in the summerGetty However, sources close to the European champions say they want to be respectful to their Merseyside counterparts. Liverpool are still hoping to convince England defender Alexander-Arnold to sign a new deal at Anfield. His contract, along with captain Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, will end next summer. It’s prompted a swirl of rumours about new deals and potential transfers for all three. Alexander-Arnold has long been linked with a switch to Real Madrid. Los Blancos are currently operating without their usual right-back – six-time Champions League winner Dani Carvajal. He suffered an ACL injury in October and this appears to have accelerated a succession plan for the 32-year-old. Ties to Alexander-Arnold have also grown with the England international enjoying a strong friendship with Real superstar Jude Bellingham. Their connection had previously led Liverpool fans to hope Bellingham would join the Reds from former club Borussia Dortmund. The 21-year-old, though, moved to the Spanish capital where he has already won LaLiga and the Champions League. Alexander-Arnold could join Bellingham at Real Madrid as their friendship blossomsGetty He remains key for Liverpool, but the club are facing a fight now to keep hold of him Losing Alexander-Arnold next summer for free would be a big blow for Liverpool, but may not be as hurtful to the team as it would have seemed a year ago. Conor Bradley stepped up in his absence against Real Madrid in the Champions League and preceded to nullify Kylian Mbappe in stunning style at Anfield. One tackle in particular stunned Merseyside as he steamed in full throttle and snuffed out a dangerous run from the French World Cup winner. Legendary England full-back Stuart Pearce, working for talkSPORT at Anfield, joked: “With Trent Alexander-Arnold sitting on the bench at the moment, he must be thinking to himself, I might just knock on the manager’s door and say, please, have you got a contract for me? “Because you’ve got someone who’s been absolutely outstanding tonight, he’s been brilliant. “He’s dealt with [Kylian] Mbappe, he’s got forward, he’s assisted goals, he’s been everything.” Simon Jordan’s verdict on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future: “You don’t want to lose Alexander-Arnold but also, is it going to be a catastrophe if you do? I don’t think it is. “With due respect to what these players are being paid and what the market wants to pay them, and if they can get something significant somewhere else, you either have to match it or find a mechanism that gives you the opportunity to keep the player. “If he wants to go, let him go. I don’t think Trent Alexander-Arnold is as important economically because of the stage he’s at in his career. “I would suggest the most important two signings are Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah. I think they’ll do both of those.”
Real Madrid have informed Liverpool of their desire to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold, talkSPORT understands.
The Spanish giants are not obliged to register an interest in Alexander-Arnold as he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club in January.
However, sources close to the European champions say they want to be respectful to their Merseyside counterparts.
Liverpool are still hoping to convince England defender Alexander-Arnold to sign a new deal at Anfield.
His contract, along with captain Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, will end next summer.
It’s prompted a swirl of rumours about new deals and potential transfers for all three.
Alexander-Arnold has long been linked with a switch to Real Madrid.
Los Blancos are currently operating without their usual right-back – six-time Champions League winner Dani Carvajal.
He suffered an ACL injury in October and this appears to have accelerated a succession plan for the 32-year-old.
Ties to Alexander-Arnold have also grown with the England international enjoying a strong friendship with Real superstar Jude Bellingham.
Their connection had previously led Liverpool fans to hope Bellingham would join the Reds from former club Borussia Dortmund.
The 21-year-old, though, moved to the Spanish capital where he has already won LaLiga and the Champions League.
Losing Alexander-Arnold next summer for free would be a big blow for Liverpool, but may not be as hurtful to the team as it would have seemed a year ago.
Conor Bradley stepped up in his absence against Real Madrid in the Champions League and preceded to nullify Kylian Mbappe in stunning style at Anfield.
One tackle in particular stunned Merseyside as he steamed in full throttle and snuffed out a dangerous run from the French World Cup winner.
Legendary England full-back Stuart Pearce, working for talkSPORT at Anfield, joked: “With Trent Alexander-Arnold sitting on the bench at the moment, he must be thinking to himself, I might just knock on the manager’s door and say, please, have you got a contract for me?
“Because you’ve got someone who’s been absolutely outstanding tonight, he’s been brilliant.
“He’s dealt with [Kylian] Mbappe, he’s got forward, he’s assisted goals, he’s been everything.”
Simon Jordan’s verdict on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future:
“You don’t want to lose Alexander-Arnold but also, is it going to be a catastrophe if you do? I don’t think it is.
“With due respect to what these players are being paid and what the market wants to pay them, and if they can get something significant somewhere else, you either have to match it or find a mechanism that gives you the opportunity to keep the player.
“If he wants to go, let him go. I don’t think Trent Alexander-Arnold is as important economically because of the stage he’s at in his career.
“I would suggest the most important two signings are Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah. I think they’ll do both of those.”
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