TAA told he 'can't turn down' Real Madrid transfer amid Liverpool contract issue

Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend has suggested Trent Alexander-Arnold will find a summer move to Real Madrid tough to turn down.

Alexander-Arnold is in the final year of his contract at Liverpool, where he has spent his entire playing career. He has yet to make a decision on whether to extend his stay or leave on a free, but as things stand he will be able to talk to potential suitors in January.

He wouldn't be the first Liverpool star to move to the Bernabeu in the Premier League era. Xabi Alonso made the switch in 2009, while England international Michael Owen and Steve McManaman previously left Anfield for the Spanish capital.

McManaman's 1999 move came after he allowed his Liverpool contract to run down. Townsend anticipates a similar thing happening with Alexander-Arnold in 2025, and he isn't the only one.

“I don't think he wants to leave Liverpool, or is searching to leave," Townsend said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "If there is interest from Real Madrid, I don't think you can turn it down.

"He's won the Champions League and Premier League at Liverpool - he's won the lot. I don't think you can turn Real Madrid down.”

Alexander-Arnold has remained coy on his future, though he suggested trophies are the main motivating factor when making his decision. Liverpool were still in contention for a quadruple last season when they won the Carabao Cup final in February, but ended up with just that one trophy.

Chris Sutton, like Townsend, can see the right-back moving to Spain. "There's a reason why he's running his contract down," the ex-Chelsea striker said. "He has to defend himself and say his contracts previously have been done privately, but it's unusual for a club of Liverpool's size, and what he's done there, to be in the last nine months of his contract.

"It's different for Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah [who are also out of contract in 2025] - they are in their thirties. For Trent Alexander-Arnold this shouldn't be happening. How many clubs are out there that are bigger than Real Madrid? Where could he naturally go to? It will be Real Madrid."

Alexander-Arnold has spoken about encouraging Liverpool manager Arne Slot to criticise his mistakes in an effort to make him a better defender. Slot was asked about this in his press conference ahead of the Carabao Cup game against West Ham and cleared things up.

"Yeah it's difficult for me to judge how it has been in years before - we are talking here about a player that won the Champions League and a league title," Slot said. "He mentioned himself that winning a league is about defending. It's clear to me then that he's been a good defender all his life."