Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold looks increasingly likely to join Spanish giants Real Madrid as a free agent this summer after failing to agree a new contract with the Reds
Trent Alexander-Arnold has reportedly held off on the announcement of his transfer to Real Madrid so as not to detract from Liverpool's pursuit of the Premier League title. The long-standing rumours grew even stronger on Tuesday, with multiple outlets reporting that the right-back is nearing a move to the Spanish giants.
Although Alexander-Arnold himself has not commented on the developments, several media outlets have reported that he will depart Liverpool as a free agent this summer and make his way to Madrid.
Regardless of the specifics, it seems that Liverpool's attempts to persuade Alexander-Arnold to remain at Anfield have been unsuccessful.
However, it's understood that any news regarding the transfer has been kept quiet because the player wanted to wait until Liverpool had clinched the Premier League title this season, demonstrating his deep respect for his childhood club.
While some supporters might appreciate Alexander-Arnold's tact in keeping his contract negotiations out of the public eye, others may question the timing of Tuesday's reports, as well as the constant speculation up to now this season, which has recently seen Liverpool's hopes of a quadruple whittle down to only the Premier League title being within reach. And despite Liverpool's 12-point lead on Arsenal at the top of the league, there's still plenty of football left to play.
With Liverpool's recent dip in form – including Carabao Cup final heartache against Newcastle and Champions League disappointment vs PSG – Arne Slot will be keen to avoid any complacency in their final nine games, particularly with challenging fixtures against Everton and second-placed Arsenal on the horizon.
However, the latest news suggests that Alexander-Arnold believes he and his team-mates are already within touching distance of the trophy, as per the Liverpool Echo.
According to talkSPORT, the full-back didn't want his potential move to become a distraction during Liverpool's title push and wouldn't want to shoulder the blame if the club's form were to falter following the announcement.
While talkSPORT reports that Alexander-Arnold has agreed terms with Carlo Ancelotti's team, The Athletic contradicts this, stating that personal terms are yet to be finalised and the club is still working on a deal to bring him to Spain.
This development won't come as a surprise to Liverpool fans, who have been bracing themselves for the departure of their No. 66 amidst ongoing contract negotiations involving Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
As revealed by the Liverpool ECHO late last year, Liverpool even received an offer from the Santiago Bernabeu to take Alexander-Arnold during the January transfer window. This was unexpected as the La Liga heavyweights could have waited six months to sign the player on a free transfer, rather than paying a transfer fee in the winter.
Meanwhile, in an interview from September 2024, Alexander-Arnold kept his cards close to his chest when questioned about his future, but notably refrained from confirming he'd still be donning red the following season.
"Look, I have been at the club 20 years now, I have signed four or five a contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public. And this one won't be either," he said. "I want to be a Liverpool player this season is what I will say."
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