Liverpool reunion in DOUBT after latest Trent Alexander-Arnold development at Real Madrid

The long-awaited return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Anfield when Real Madrid take on Liverpool in the Champions League next month may not be what Reds fans would have hoped for.

Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool at the end of the season to join Real Madrid. The England international right-back decided to turn down offers of a new contract from his boyhood team to chase the dream of winning major trophies on a regular basis for arguably the biggest club in the world.

It was written in the stars that Alexander-Arnold would return to Anfield in Real Madrid colours when the Champions League draw was made.

However, despite Alexander-Arnold being fit and available at the moment, the 27-year-old may not feature for Madrid in their Champions League game against Liverpool at Anfield on November 4.

Dani Carvajal has undergone arthroscopy surgery on his right knee, which may sideline him for the rest of 2025, which means Alexander-Arnold is now the only recognised right-back in Alonso’s team.

While ideally that would mean that the former Liverpool star would get into the Madrid starting line-up, Federico Valverde’s performance at right-back has been impressive.

Valverde is a midfielder by trade, but the Uruguay international started at right-back against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu in El Clasico last weekend.

Both Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold started El Clasico on the bench, with the former coming on for Valverde in the 72nd minute.

According to Marca, Valverde played against Barcelona with a fever and should be available for LaLiga game against Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend.

Marca, which is the number one source for Real Madrid inside scoop and has close ties with the Spanish giants’ hierarchy, has also painted a bleak picture of Alexander-Arnold getting into the team ahead of Valverde at right-back.

The publication has noted that the only ‘escape route’ for Alexander-Arnold out of the substitutes’ bench and into the starting line-up is for Valverde to play in midfield.

However, Aurelien Tchouameni is an undisputed starter for Los Blancos, with Eduardo Camavinga now also making a strong case to feature in the first XI week in and week out with his impressive performance for Madrid in their win against Barcelona.

Against Barcelona, Jude Bellingham played closer to Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, a position that Valverde ‘often occupied’ under former Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, according to Marca, with Camavinga ending up as ‘a false right winger’.

‘Valverde is seeing his role in Xabi’s Madrid changing’, according to the report, and it is very likely that, for now, Alonso will continue to use the Uruguayan at right-back.

Alexander-Arnold has only just recovered from injury, and his performances for Los Blancos at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and in the opening weeks of the new season were far from great.

While it is true that Alexander-Arnold can also play in midfield, Madrid have too many players in that department already, with even Valverde not guaranteed a place in the middle of the park.

It is very likely that Alexander-Arnold will play some part against Valencia this weekend, but do not be surprised if Valverde starts against Liverpool at Anfield at right-back, with the former Reds star ending the game as an unused substitute.

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Meanwhile, Vinicius Junior has issued a public apology for his rant against Xabi Alonso during Real Madrid’s win against Barcelona in El Clasico last weekend, as Chelsea learn whether he could move to the Blues.

Chelsea are also planning a huge bid for a Real Madrid midfielder, but sources tell TEAMtalk that he will not leave in the January transfer window.

And finally, TEAMtalk can reveal the three conditions that Real Madrid have set for a loan exit for Endrick.

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