According to The Athletic, Real Madrid approached Liverpool to discuss Trent Alexander-Arnold last December but the first offer was rejected. However, with the English defender's contract at The Kop expiring at the end of June and negotiations on an extension being difficult, the opportunity for Los Blancos to recruit the 26-year-old star in the summer is very high.
President Florentino Perez is already famous for hunting for the world's top stars, especially when their contracts are about to expire. This helps the team save on transfer fees or at least significantly reduce costs, even sometimes having to pay a huge signing bonus. A typical example is Mbappe, the superstar who received up to 100 million Euros in a new contract in addition to his salary.
At the age of 26, Alexander-Arnold will bring freshness to a defense that needs to be rejuvenated. Dani Carvajal's long-term injury has accelerated the search for a replacement and the Liverpool defender is considered the top choice to take on this role.
In addition, the appearance of Alexander-Arnold will be a significant addition to the Real Madrid defense, which has lacked large investments since 2019. With his flexible playing ability, the "Three Lions" player is not only an excellent right-back but can also take on a role in midfield, similar to the way Gareth Southgate exploited him in the England team.
Last season, Alexander-Arnold also took on the role of main assist at Liverpool. He often moves into the middle of the pitch to coordinate play from midfield, which Real Madrid really need after the departure of Toni Kroos.
The star born in 1998's ability to pass long balls accurately helps him quickly turn a normal ball into a dangerous opportunity, creating conditions for strikers like Vinicius Junior or Rodrygo to make the most of it.
Statistics show that Trent Alexander-Arnold was the only player in Europe's top leagues last season to make more passes of 30 meters per game than Kroos. Although he has not yet achieved perfect accuracy, the speed and flexibility of his passes are factors that Real Madrid believes can improve over time.
Not only outstanding for his attacking ability, Alexander-Arnold is considered to be more highly regarded than before thanks to his improvement in defense under Arne Slot at Liverpool. The Dutch captain's organized playing style has helped the 26-year-old defender position better and develop his ability to defend one-on-one, his weakness that has been criticized a lot.
At Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold will need to adapt to a more complex role. Under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti, he could have to defend tightly in a 4-4-2 formation and participate in coordinating the ball from midfield. However, Los Blancos are confident in Alexander-Arnold's ability to integrate, especially when they have successfully converted positions for many players before.
Real Madrid's current defense includes veteran players such as Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez, but both are old and find it difficult to maintain their top form. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold is not only a long-term replacement but also a strategic step forward to strengthen the Galacticos 3.0 squad in the future.
