Real Madrid decide against January move for Trent Alexander-Arnold

Real Madrid are locked in a battle with Liverpool for their star right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold currently, with his contract up at the end of the season. Los Blancos are in need of reinforcements in the same position after Dani Carvajal, but talk of them moving forward their recruitment efforts looks as if it will be destined for the archives.

Los Blancos have flirted with the idea of signing in the winter transfer window for the first time in four years, after two key members of their already thin defence, Eder Militao and Carvajal, were ruled out for the season. The Telegraph in England say that a January move is all but off the table though, as Real Madrid would prefer to sign him on a free next summer, rather than pay a fee in January. The 26-year-old can sign a contract with the European champions on the first of January.

Recent reports in Spain have suggested that Alexander-Arnold will not be signing a new deal, but that has been contradicted in England. On Tuesday it was reported that he is yet to make a decision on his future. It would not be the first time that it has been leaked to the media in Spain that a signing is a done deal to paint the situation as a lost cause for the other competitors.