Neville backs Alexander-Arnold to seal huge Real Madrid move with Liverpool man compared to Beckham

Gary Neville is convinced Trent Alexander-Arnold will quit Anfield and secure a blockbuster move to Real Madrid next year after comparing the Liverpool man’s situation to David Beckham 21 years ago and revealing his thoughts on whether the Reds star will lose legendary status at Anfield by walking away as a free agent.

The Reds vice-captain  – regarded as one of the world’s best right-backs having won seven major honours at Liverpool and contributing towards 102 goals from 324 appearances – falls out of contract next summer and will be eligible to make a free-transfer move of his choosing in 2025.

Indeed, despite Liverpool’s best efforts to tie him down to a new deal, Alexander-Arnold will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with his next club from January – now a worrying 55 days away.

With Real Madrid making no secret of their desire to land the 26-year-old, fears are growing at Anfield that a move away looks increasingly likely.

And now Sky Sports pundit Neville reckons a move to the Bernabeu will indeed happen for the 33-times capped England star.

“He (Alexander-Arnold) may feel that his appreciation levels would go up in Europe in certain different types of football (soccer) than they would in this country,” Neville said on the latest episode of ‘It’s Called Soccer!‘ “He’s struggling to break into the England team. That tells you that there’s still a question mark over him.

“Arne Slot has taken him off in certain games this season and so did Jurgen Klopp. He’s embedded in Liverpool, he’s one of their own, but David Beckham was at Manchester United with me and loved Manchester United. His family, his mum and dad, massive United fans. Adored everything about the club. But he wanted to explore. He wanted to explore the world and Europe.

“Does Trent Alexander-Arnold have it in his head? We know he’s friends with Jude Bellingham with England, we know he’s very close with him. Does he feel like ‘Actually I could stay at Liverpool and be a club legend. That’s something that will give me great fulfillment. But actually, I want to finish my career having had different experiences and jumping out of the bubble.'”

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Would Alexander-Arnold lose legendary status by leaving Liverpool for free?

Jamie Carragher has previosuly suggested the likes of Michael Owen and Steve McManaman abstained their rights to be considered club legends after leaving Merseyside for Madrid as free agents, when compared to say, Steven Gerrard, who spent a vast chunk of his career – and gave his peak years – to Liverpool.

Speaking over whether the same would apply to Alexander-Arnold were he to leave for free, Neville commented: “I can see why Trent would want to leave. I know Jamie Carragher says that sometimes that’s why you’re not a club legend if you leave the club. That’s why Steven Gerrard is, and he gives examples of players who are not.

“I don’t think Trent needs to worry about that. I think what he needs to do is worry about what he wants to do in his career. David Beckham is still a Manchester United legend. He’s a legend in Milan, Paris, Madrid, and different parts of the world.

“I know Liverpool is slightly different, but I don’t think he should worry about that. I think he should consider what he wants to do. My feeling is, he’s probably got that aspiration to explore European football and see how that would treat him.”

We understand that Real Madrid have been in what has been described to us as ‘constant contact’ with Alexander-Arnold’s entourage over the possibility of ditching Anfield for the Bernabeu.

And while the player has so far failed to agree to fresh terms at Anfield, the Reds are continuing talks to try and nail the player down.

However, with time ticking along, it is not looking too promising and the signs are increasingly pointing towards a move to Madrid for the England star.

Latest Liverpool transfer news: Tchouameni talks open / Salah’s huge wage demands

Meanwhile, Liverpool have reportedly opened transfer talks of their own over a deal with Real Madrid for France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

The midfielder spurned a move to Anfield back in 2022 but there is now a growing chance that it could be second time lucky for the Reds amid claims Real Madrid are willing to sell, have set a realistic price tag and with Slot’s take on the deal also coming to light.

Any deal for the midfielder, though, would be done independently to any potential transfer to Spain for Alexander-Arnold.

Elsewhere, Mo Salah has reportedly made clear his huge wage demands following reports the Egyptian has held preliminary talks with Barcelona over a summer move.

The 32-year-old’s deal at Anfield is also due to expire next summer but he is not taking any prisoners when it comes to negotiating a new deal elsewhere, if the latest reports are to be believed.

And finally, reports in Italy claim the Reds have also been offered a swap deal by AC Milan for the rarely-seen Federico Chiesa in a deal that would see Slot landing one of Milan’s most versatile midfielders as part of a straight exchange.

Which clubs want Alexander-Arnold and how would he fit in?

By Samuel Bannister

There is little doubting that Alexander-Arnold is one of the world’s most elite right-backs, which would automatically make him appealing to many top clubs if he was to become available, but his position is also usually not one that clubs will seek to stock up with multiple high-pedigree players.

With that in mind, it stands to reason that any club actively trying to take Alexander-Arnold could be formulating a succession plan to move on from who is currently representing them at right-back.

Here, we take a closer look at each club linked with Alexander-Arnold and who he would replace at each destination.

Real Madrid

The main club linked with Alexander-Arnold so far has been Real Madrid. They have had success with signing an English player recently in the shape of Bellingham, so could look to repeat the formula to reinforce the right-back role.

Currently, their main options there are Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez. But this area is ripe for an evolution in their squad. Carvajal may have come fourth in the voting for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, but that was largely down to Madrid’s achievements as a team.

He will turn 33 in January and isn’t expected to play again this season due to an ACL injury. The similarly-aged Vazquez, meanwhile, is out of contract at the end of the season.

Los Blancos will need a reliable operator to move them forward in the right-back position, considering it could take time for Carvajal to get back to a presentable level of form for a club of their ambitions.

Barcelona

Last season, Barcelona brought in Joao Cancelo on loan from Manchester City and the versatile full-back made a positive impression.

However, Barca were unable to keep him, as he was sold to the Saudi Pro League instead. Their reaction has been to push Jules Kounde to a regular right-back role, despite the Frenchman previously indicating his preference for playing as a centre-half.

His deputy at the moment is La Masia graduate Hector Fort, since Barca did not directly sign a replacement for Cancelo. If Kounde is to be restored to a central position, the 18-year-old Fort might not be ready for as many responsibilities as a regular starter, so this could become a priority position for Hansi Flick’s side to strengthen.

Bayern Munich

Bayern are equipped with two 2000-born right-backs for the current campaign, Josip Stanisic and Sacha Boey. Stanisic, though, played as a centre-back more often last season when he was on loan with the title-winning Bayer Leverkusen side.

Both players have encountered injury issues recently, so players like Konrad Laimer (a midfielder) and Raphael Guerreiro (a left-back) have had to be deployed in their position.

Joshua Kimmich has featured there historically too, but not yet under Vincent Kompany – and besides, he is not guaranteed to remain with the club beyond the end of the season, when his contract expires. Depending on the future tactical plans for Stanisic once he recovers from his injury, Bayern could do with a more orthodox option for Boey to learn from and rotate with.

Paris Saint-Germain

PSG currently boast the presence of one of the best right-backs in Europe in their squad in the shape of Achraf Hakimi, but that hasn’t stopped them being linked with Alexander-Arnold as well.

Hakimi has been tentatively linked with some other clubs recently and it would likely take his departure for PSG to have a reasonable need to move for Alexander-Arnold.

That said, their only other right-back at the moment is the 18-year-old Yoram Zague, which emphasises the importance of them having a more prominent alternative lined up.

Manchester City

Sources have suggested that Manchester City could be keeping tabs on Alexander-Arnold as well if he becomes available, in what would be arguably the most controversial move on the table for the Liverpool academy graduate.

Kyle Walker will be 35 years old by the end of the current season and although there will be one year remaining on his contract, it could be time for him to be phased out. City’s own academy success story Rico Lewis is making good strides, but like Alexander-Arnold is a fairly versatile player anyway.

If Pep Guardiola continues as City’s head coach, which is up for question due to his own contract situation, Alexander-Arnold – who started drifting into midfield within a hybrid role towards the end of Jurgen Klopp’s time at Liverpool – could fit into their fluid tactical setup.