Real Madrid to pay over the odds to have Trent Alexander-Arnold at Club World Cup

Real Madrid look as if they will cave to Liverpool’s demands and pay up for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. The 26-year-old defender is set for a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, but there has been some doubt over the timing of the deal.

Alexander-Arnold has already agreed terms with Real Madrid on a five-year deal, and the original plan was for him to join the club on a free at the end of his contract this summer. Yet with the Club World Cup beginning in mid-June, and a transfer window open at the start of the month, Los Blancos will have to pay Liverpool in order to have him available for the tournament. They have also reportedly promised Xabi Alonso three signings before the tournament.

One of those signings has been sealed in Dean Huijsen, but he is expected to be joined by left-back Alvaro Carreras and Alexander-Arnold. Negotiations are set to accelerate for Carreras this week now that Benfica’s season has finished. It had previously been reported that Los Blancos would likely come to an agreement to have Alexander-Arnold early for around €1m, but El Chiringuito say that Real Madrid ‘will pay’ €5m to have his a few weeks before his contract expires.

New Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso was presented on Monday, and gave little away about his plans nor his role in the decision not to extend Luka Modric’s contract. The Basque coach did say that the decisions on signings would be agreed between him and the club, but did not commit on the future of Rodrygo Goes, or his plans for how he would be setting up. There is some intrigue over whether he will continue with the three at the back system used at Bayer Leverkusen, or if he will revert to a back four.