Alexander-Arnold contract U-turn sees Real Madrid target €50m Man Utd raid

Real Madrid are losing hope of convincing Trent Alexander-Arnold to abandon Liverpool, with a report claiming the signing of a Manchester United full-back valued at €50m is now being explored.

Alexander-Arnold is Real Madrid’s No 1 target for the right-back position in 2025. Los Blancos are determined to sign an elite-level star and TEAMtalk understands the club have developed an obsession with landing the Liverpool ace.

But according to a fresh update from Spanish journalist Sergio Fernandez, Real Madrid now believe Alexander-Arnold might actually pen fresh terms at Anfield.

Fernandez wrote: “In recent weeks, however, the possibility of [Alexander-Arnold] reaching an agreement for his renewal no longer seems so remote and all parties involved have begun to look for alternatives to be prepared for any scenario.”

The likes of Pedro Porro (Tottenham) and Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) have been mentioned as viable alternatives if Real Madrid fail to sign Alexander-Arnold.

But per the latest report, Man Utd right-back, Diogo Dalot, is in Real Madrid’s sights.

It’s claimed Real Madrid are ‘asking about’ Dalot and have already been informed a deal cannot be made for less than €50m (£41.4m / $52.6m).

Is €50m a fair price for Dalot? Let us know what you think he’s worth in the comments ⏬

Contact between Real Madrid chiefs and Dalot’s camp was reportedly established while Erik ten Hag was still at the club.

The report concluded Alexander-Arnold remains Real Madrid’s primary goal for the time being. But with their hopes of landing the Englishman seemingly fading, Man Utd’s Dalot is now emerging as a concrete target.

Ruben Amorim, Diogo Dalot stances on Real Madrid transfer

Dalot has started both of Ruben Amorim’s first two Premier League matches in charge in the left wing-back position.

Dalot – who was named Man Utd Players’ Player of the Season last year – has already been labelled a “great player” by the new boss.

Furthermore, Amorim has highlighted Dalot’s positional flexibility in an assessment that strongly suggests he would NOT be on board with selling the Portugal international.

“He is a great player,” declared Amorim. “He can play both sides, which is perfect. He lives the game.

“He’s very powerful. We have to rotate him sometimes because he looks like he is always fresh but he’s not like that. He’s not a machine.

“I think he plays better on the right and we will manage to put him also on the right. I expect the same from as you saw in the past year – a great player that can help the team and is really a team player.”

And dampening expectations of a Dalot to Real Madrid transfer even further, the player himself has already spoken highly of his new manager at Old Trafford.

“It’s gone really well,” Dalot said. “He (Amorim) made an impact straight away in terms of his philosophy and the way he wants us to play. It suits the standards of the club – high-intensity football and working hard for the team.

“We have to give credit to him and his staff for all the information they gave us. It was really clear and obviously now we will take some more training sessions and games to put this into practice.

“He’s really demanding. He’s exactly what we need for this type of club. That’s the standard the club should have, by demanding people are really professional and working hard for the team. That’s the clear message that he gives us every day.”

Dalot added: “The message he [Amorim] gave to everybody was clear – he wants us to have more control of the games, and that’s what we want to do.

“With me [as the left wing-back] it was: ‘Sprint back and be really hard-working. Give an option and don’t be afraid to have the ball.’ I felt comfortable. I’ve played on the left a couple of times now and the system is good for this club. I’ve played with three centre-backs before.”

If Real Madrid fail to land Alexander-Arnold, they may quickly be met with a second rejection by way of Dalot and Man Utd.

Latest Liverpool and Man Utd news – Van Dijk extension / Malacia conundrum

In other news, separate reports from Anfield Watch and TBR Football state Van Dijk WILL pen fresh terms to extend his stay at Anfield.

The player’s agent has reportedly begun to tell interested parties that Van Dijk is ‘no longer attainable.’

Furthermore, the date of December 27 has been theorised as when Liverpool will officially announce Van Dijk’s extension.

December 27 is the date on which Liverpool originally announced they had reached an agreement with Southampton for Van Dijk’s transfer back in 2017.

TEAMtalk understands the likeliest outcome with regards to length of contract is a two-year deal.

Elsewhere, Caught Offside claim Borussia Dortmund and Lyon are both showing interest in signing Tyrell Malacia.

The left-back has only just returned to action following 18 months on the sidelines. Yet despite his availability, Man Utd could reportedly elect to cash in in order to boost their spending power in January.

Amorim is now facing a ‘tricky’ decision on whether to sever ties with a player he’s barely had a chance to assess.