Alexander-Arnold told Real Madrid transfer is ‘now or never’ as Sky Sports man drops bombshell Liverpool update

Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has been warned that the opportunity to join Real Madrid could pass him by for the rest of his career if he does not accept the move as a free agent in 2025 – and with a trusted Sky Sports reporter making a huge claim on the future of the right-back and his teammates Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

The Reds vice-captain falls out of contract at the end of the current campaign and will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement to join Real Madrid, or any other overseas clubs of his choosing, from January 1 – just 37 days from now. As a result, Liverpool supporters may have strong reasons to doubt if this may be their homegrown hero’s last season at Anfield.

However, Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol is adamant that all three of Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk – with the latter pair also out of contract next summer – will not be allowed to walk away from Anfield as free agents in the same summer.

“I think it’s down to money and that one or two of those players may have very tempting offers from other clubs,” said Solhekol on Sky Sports News on Monday morning.

“We have to get real, I would think it’s almost impossible that Liverpool are going to lose all three of those players. I think almost certainly at least two of them will sign new contracts.

“One of them may leave, but they’re not all going at the same time. There’s no way that Liverpool would let that happen.”

Turning attention to Alexander-Arnold, the reporter claims a move to the Spanish champions might be a case of now or never for the 26-year-old.

“The only way you do that [leave Liverpool] is if Real Madrid want you,” Solhekol added. “If they want you and they’re getting you on a free transfer, they can give you an incredible signing-on fee, incredible wages.

“Playing for Real Madrid, who are the best club in the world, your profile goes to a different level. And Real Madrid would say to you, ‘It’s now or never – if you don’t come now, we’re going to sign someone else’.

“So it’s only the lure of Real Madrid that would tempt anyone to leave Liverpool at the moment.”

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Liverpool have ‘belief’ Alexander-Arnold will stay after ‘record offer’

Over the last 10 days, concerns that the attack-minded full-back will depart appear to have eased amid claims FSG now have a genuine ‘belief’ Alexander-Arnold will stay and following a report that stated Liverpool have offered him a deal that is set to make the player the best-paid star in the Premier League, on a deal worth more than £400,000 a week.

While sources have confirmed to us that Real Madrid have been in, what has been described as ‘constant contact’ over a free transfer move to the Bernabeu for Alexander-Arnold, we’ve also been told clearly that the player’s priority has always been Liverpool.

Furthermore, but for the presence of Real Madrid – who as arguably the world’s biggest football club carry obvious appeal – the Reds vice-captain would have signed his new deal some time ago.

However, Liverpool are understood to be relaxed about the situation around the player and it’s hoped that an announcement on a new contract could even come to light in the days and weeks before Christmas.

Part of the delay has also centred around Alexander-Arnold’s wish to see how Liverpool would adjust to new manager Arne Slot, who was chosen as Jurgen Klopp’s heir over the summer.

However, any doubts Alexander-Arnold may have had about a drop-off under their new boss have been emphatically swept away off the back of their incredible start to the season, which has seen the Reds claim 16 wins from their first 18 games.

Alexander-Arnold has also made clear the benefits to his game that Slot has brought.

“He helps me and teaches me a lot,” Alexander-Arnold told FeyenoordPings. “He is strict with me, I like that. He helps me with the weak points in my game and he wants me to improve.”

Alexander-Arnold added: “He tells me where to stand to get the ball. You don’t get the ball there because someone will mark you, so why would you stand there?

“And if you are marked and other people come in and Ryan Gravenberch is marked, there is space behind him and you look for depth.

“It’s very in-depth. Very detailed. He always studies the opponent thoroughly and tells us where their weak spots are. Then we have to punish them on the field.

“The training sessions are much more intense. The spaces are much smaller. It’s a very Dutch way of playing, in terms of ball handling.

“You always have to play to the back foot. If you don’t, he stops the session. ‘Why do you pass to that foot and not to his back foot’? It’s that detailed.”

Latest Liverpool transfer news: Sunderland striker linked; big Zubimendi update

Meanwhile, Liverpool are reported to have taken a strong interest in Sunderland’s attacking prospect Trey Ogunsuyi.

The 17-year-old has been named on their bench three times so far this season and while he is yet to make his debut, his brilliant record for their Under-18s and Under-21s sides this season has drawn admiring glances from the Reds.

Now the Merseysiders are reported to be plotting a move to bring the teenager to Anfield with another Reds attacking prospect also cleared to leave.

However, two other major January deals are also reported with an exciting update on the future of Martin Zubimendi now revealing the Reds are roaring towards his signing amid claims of a €60m U-turn.

Elsewhere, reports from Spain claim the Merseysiders have ‘put an offer on the table’ for Real Madrid’s little-used playmaker Brahim Diaz, and the Spanish giants’ thoughts on a possible move also coming to light.

Predictably, interest in the Morocco international is high and the Reds do face strong competition from two Premier League rivals.

Alexander-Arnold and the role he has played in Liverpool’s recent trophies