An unusual summer, an unusual transfer window. The Club World Cup is tearing up the rulebook – and Real Madrid have wasted no time reinforcing ahead of the disruptive tournament FIFA has set up in the United States. Huijsen has already arrived, and now Alexander-Arnold joins him. Both will be available to Xabi Alonso thanks to a special signing window open to all 32 participating clubs.
Madrid have felt the effects of a thin squad in what has turned into a much longer season than usual. The situation worsened with a string of injuries – many of them long-term – to key players like Carvajal and Militão. But the World Cup presents an opportunity to correct course in terms of squad planning, and Alonso will now be able to count on Alexander-Arnold (as well as Huijsen) for the tournament in the US.
FIFA has gone all out to elevate its revamped competition, sparing no effort – or regulatory amendments. From June 1 to June 10, all 32 clubs will have access to an extraordinary transfer window ahead of the tournament. On top of that, teams reaching the knockout rounds will be allowed two additional signings for the latter stages.
Bringing in Alexander-Arnold wasn’t straightforward. Though the full-back was due to become a free agent at the end of the season, Madrid still had to reach an agreement with Liverpool to secure his early release. His contract was set to expire, as usual, on June 30 – but for Xabi Alonso to have him from the start of the tournament, Liverpool’s green light was essential. Otherwise, the Englishman wouldn’t have been eligible to play until the quarter-finals, once the second window opens for two extra signings. Thanks to the deal with Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold will be in the US and ready to join up with Xabi Alonso’s squad from day one. Mission accomplished for Real Madrid.
Expanded squads for CWC
La Fábrica – Madrid’s famed youth academy – will also have a part to play in the US. Each team can register a maximum of 35 players for the tournament, with at least three goalkeepers. Matchday squads will require careful selection, as only 15 players can be named on the bench for each game – three more than the usual 12 permitted in La Liga and the Champions League.
With Huijsen and Alexander-Arnold on board, Alonso now has a 25-man squad for the trip to the US, leaving 11 available spots for academy players to be included in the Miami-bound group. Madrid will set up their base of operations in the Florida city for the duration of the competition.
When will Trent make his Real Madrid debut?
Final squad lists must be submitted to FIFA by June 10 – four days ahead of the opening game between Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly on June 14 (the early hours of June 15 in Spain), to be held at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
A second window will open for teams to make two additional signings between June 27 and July 3, specifically aimed at players whose contracts expire and whose clubs had not released them earlier. However, players must be registered 48 hours before playing, making it unlikely they’ll feature in the round of 16.
That stage is still a way off. Madrid’s debut – and Alexander-Arnold’s first outing in white, all going well – will come on June 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET against Al Hilal.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.