Alexander-Arnold given Real Madrid transfer advice amid claims Liverpool could ‘bite bullet’ on January sale

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been told the pros and cons of signing for Real Madrid by one man who can speak from experience amid alarming claims over the weekend that Liverpool could ‘cut their losses’ and sanction his exit in the January window – while Fabrizio Romano has also provided an update on the player’s situation.

The right-back falls out of contract at Anfield in just eight months and will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with a club of his choosing from January 1 – just 51 days from now. And with concerns growing that a high-profile move to Real Madrid will be agreed, those associated with Liverpool are understandably starting to feel nervous that they could lose their vice-captain as a free agent.

Now Steve McManaman, who himself departed Anfield to join the Spanish giants as a free agent back in the summer of 1999, has offered Alexander-Arnold some sage advice – and given his insight into Real Madrid’s interest in the player.

“Would I encourage it? I had the most wonderful time,” McMananman told TNT Sports.

“I think if you speak to somebody else, Michael Owen was only there for a year, he had a great time but came back. I personally don’t know Trent’s situation. I think Liverpool want him to stay but it’s entirely a personal thing, isn’t it?”

Reports over the weekend claimed officials at Anfield ‘may already know’ Alexander-Arnold’s decision, leaving them to ‘cut their losses’ on the player and ‘biting the bullet’ over his January sale.

Now McManaman has had his say on Real Madrid links with the player, commenting: “Do Real Madrid want him? I think every club in the world would want him, someone of his calibre on a free… I think that goes without saying.

“But he might want to stay here – his family are here – or he might think ‘You know what, I’ve been here 20 years as a man and a boy, I’ll try somewhere new’. Because once he stays, if he does stay and sign a five-year, six-year deal here, he’s here for the future, isn’t he, he’s here for life.”

IN-DEPTH: Five reasons for Trent Alexander-Arnold to stay at Liverpool vs five reasons to leave for Real Madrid

Fabrizio Romano provides update on Alexander-Arnold chances of January exit.

Fears that Alexander-Arnold could depart had already risen on Saturday morning following a report that claimed talks over an extension at Anfield had ‘hit a major obstacle’ to leave Liverpool’s prospects of tying him to a new deal ‘reducing with every passing day’.

Despite that, we understand the Reds are far from ready to wave the white flag over renewal talks with the player and efforts to strike an agreement will be stepped up during the current international break.

And while the player’s top priority remains on negotiating a new deal at Anfield, sources have told us that Liverpool still believe a compromise over an extension can still be reached.

Fabrizio Romano is also sceptical about reports suggesting Liverpool could sell Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid in January, but has confirmed they do consider him a ‘top, top, target’.

“I am told that for January, Real Madrid internally feel that it is going to be almost mission impossible to sign Trent in the January transfer window. Trent is a name for the summer transfer window. That’s the idea for Real Madrid, and he’s always been considered a top, top, top target for the summer at Real Madrid,” Romano told his YouTube channel.

“The only way to make it happen in January is if Liverpool tell them, ‘okay, let’s negotiate’.

“But Liverpool, at the moment, are absolutely not opening the doors to that. Liverpool are very happy with Trent as part of the squad.

“Liverpool are still discussing with Trent over a new deal, and Liverpool are still pushing to keep Trent at the club, to extend his contract, to find a way.”

Latest Liverpool transfer news: Salah hopes grow / triple January swoop mooted

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s prospects of keeping another of their soon-to-be out-of-contract stars in Mo Salah have been lifted thanks to a big update from James Pearce.

The journalist has lifted the lid on the player’s current thinking over an extension and the role his wife, Magi, will play in helping to decide his future. All in all, though, the signs do look good for Liverpool.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are also being linked with a huge triple swoop in the January window as Arne Slot looks to seriously strengthen his squad for a possible Quadruple push over the second half of the season.

Top of the Reds’ wishlist is Eintracht Frankfurt hot-shot Omar Marmoush and amid claims Liverpool are now ready to submit an official bid for the Egyptian star.

Two midfielders are also being eyed by Slot and while one of those could well sign on the dotted line in the winter, a second deal looks likely to be made to wait until the season’s end at best.

And finally, Liverpool scouts are keeping close tabs on the progress of Lille’s teenage star Ayyoub Bouaddi, who has caught the eye for the Ligue 1 side this season.

Why Alexander-Arnold would be irreplaceable for Liverpool

By James Pennington

Since the beginning of the 2018/2019 season, according to FBREF Alexander-Arnold has ranked in the top 90th percentile and above among full-backs in the Premier League for:

-Passes attempted per 90 minutes

-Shot-creating actions per 90 minutes

-npxG x xAG (Non-Penalty Expected Goals plus Assisted Goals) per 90 minutes

-Expected assisted goals per 90 minutes

-Key passes per 90 minutes

-Long passes attempted per 90 minutes

-Long passes completed per 90 minutes

-Crosses per 90 minutes

The right-back currently ranks joint 25th in the all-time Premier League assists record on 59 assists, alongside Stewart Downing, Steve McManaman and fellow Liverpool teammate and full-back Andy Robertson, making the pair the joint top assisting defenders in Premier League history.

With Alexander-Arnold in the side, Liverpool have a record of 158 wins, 46 draws and 33 losses, a win percentage of 66.6%, whereas without him in the side, Liverpool have a record of 47 wins, 24 draws and seven losses, a win percentage of just 53.4%.

On 21 September 2024, the Englishman became the youngest player to reach 100-goal contributions for Liverpool (19 goals and 81 assists) since Steven Gerrard achieved the feat in 2005.

This has put him just four goals behind Phil Neal (104), Liverpool’s current top goal contributor of all time as a defender. This means he just needs five more goals/assists to become the Reds’ most prolific defender of all time despite only being 26 years old.

Alexander-Arnold has often been slated for his defensive ability, but against Brighton on November 2, 2024, the right-back created one big chance and made nine tackles in the game, the first player to do this in the Premier League since himself in 2021.

Since his professional debut under Jurgen Klopp in October 2016 in a League Cup victory over Spurs, Alexander-Arnold has gone on to make 325 appearances and counting for the Reds in all competitions.

Not only does the Englishman’s technical ability come into play as to why he would be a huge loss for Liverpool, but the fact that he has spent his entire career at the club and is a Liverpool fan is something that cannot be understated.

Losing him on a free transfer would also be a bitter pill to swallow for the team from Anfield, who would usually be able to demand upwards of £ 100m for a player of his quality if it wasn’t for his contract expiring.

Finding a like-for-like replacement for the 31-time-capped Englishman seems close to impossible, so Liverpool will have to find more ways to create chances to replace the deficit that Alexander-Arnold would leave behind.