Jose Mourinho admits Trent Alexander-Arnold blunder as Liverpool return calls emerge for Real Madrid misfit

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that he was wrong about Trent Alexander-Arnold, as former Liverpool star Stephen Warnock gives his verdict on the defender eventually going back to Anfield.

Madrid kicked off their 2026/27 Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win against Inter Milan at Estadio Bernabeu on Tuesday evening.

Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde were the goalscorers for the Spanish and European giants.

Madrid manager Mourinho deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation against Inter, with former Liverpool star Alexander-Arnold playing alongside Valverde in central midfield.

Alexander-Arnold is a right-back by trade, but the 27-year-old has played in midfield for Liverpool and England in the past.

Against Inter, the former Liverpool star failed to make an impact in the middle of the park.

Alexander-Arnold looked lost defensively and had little influence when he had the ball at his feet.

The Englishman, though, did put Curtis Jones under pressure that led to Madrid’s opening goal and created a brilliant chance for Mbappe.

However, Madrid manager Mourinho was not impressed with Alexander-Arnold’s performance in midfield and has admitted that he was wrong to play him in that role against Inter.

The Independent quotes Mourinho as saying: “I thank Trent Alexander-Arnold for his efforts to play in a position that is not his.

“It’s very clear that his qualities are made for the full-back position, not for midfield.

“He has played midfield with England and Liverpool … but he is not a midfielder.

“He has played very well.

“He has interpreted what he needed to really well, tactically.

“Both him and Valverde have worked very well at this level.”

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Liverpool return mooted

Alexander-Arnold joined Madrid from Liverpool in the summer of 2025 and is under contract at Los Blancos until 2031.

The former Liverpool star failed to make a huge impact at Madrid last season, and now he has Denzel Dumfries to compete with him for a place in the starting line-up.

In August, there were calls for Liverpool to bring Alexander-Arnold back to Anfield in the summer transfer window.

Former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor told talkSPORT on August 3: “What’s crazy is when you look at Liverpool now, they need him.

“They need Trent more than they needed him before.

“Because now, yes, [Sadio] Mane, and [Mohamed] Salah, and [Roberto] Firmino did start to get in the box maybe.

“But you’ve got your number nine, your focal point now, no Salah anymore.”

The pundit continued: “Isak is the main guy. What does he need? Great delivery. He’s not going to get that from [Jeremie] Frimpong.

“Frimpong’s a wing-back who’s quick and he can get past a couple of players.

“He can’t defend. I’ve seen him defend one v one, can’t defend. His final ball is horrendous.

“So even like Isak’s probably thinking I need some better delivery from that right hand side.”

Former Chelsea and Villa midfielder Andy Townsend said: “He doesn’t need another season like he had last time.

“That would have been a big disappointment to him.

“Secretly, he would have been a little hurt that it never happened, he never really got going and had a few injury issues.

“I think Liverpool should, if they can get any deal done for him on a loan basis for a season, whatever those fees are now, up to £10million for a season, I wouldn’t turn your nose up at that to get that boy back through the door.

“He is top, top drawer.”

Another pundit, former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock, believes that if the Reds went back for Alexander-Arnold, then he would return to Anfield.

Warnock told Goal when asked if Alexander-Arnold could play for Madrid for the upcoming years or move back to the Premier League: “Yeah, quite possibly.

“I think the thing with Trent is that he doesn’t have to necessarily rely on pace in his game.

“He’s got that ability on the ball just to pick passes.

“Whether you’d see him actually move into a centre-midfield position later on in his career, to be able to play that.

“I think when you listen to him and when you see him at the moment, he seems very happy.

“I think he realises that at Real Madrid he is going to have to fight for his place, and that’s going to be difficult. But he’ll trust his ability.

“He’s had doubters all his career, which is incredible because of the level that he plays to.”

Warnock added on future transfers: “I think the only time I could see him coming back is if Liverpool came back in for him.

“I don’t really see him playing for anyone else.

“But I feel like Trent’s one of those people that would probably go somewhere else, maybe in Italy or something like that.

“I think he’s that type of personality where he’d like to test himself in life and move to different places.”

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