Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is “interested” in moving to Real Madrid, according to GiveMeSport.
The defender has less than a year left on his contract at Anfield and, while the Reds are keen to tie him down to a new deal, no agreement has been reached so far.
Real have been keeping tabs on Alexander-Arnold. Respected journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed as much back in March.
However, GiveMeSport claim that Chelsea‘s Reece James was initially a top target but his injury problems have led to them cooling their pursuit, leading them to consider Alexander-Arnold instead.
The European champions are, though, reluctant to make any approach until they discover the outcome of contract negotiations.
If it becomes clear that the 25-year-old isn’t going to put pen to paper on an extension, it is believed that Real may then step up their interest, either with a bid this summer or potentially an offer to sign him on a free transfer next year.
Why haven’t Liverpool made more of an effort to extend Trent’s contract?
Fans will be getting increasingly anxious about Alexander-Arnold’s situation and it is somewhat surprising that the Merseysiders have let his contract run down as far as it has.
The club has prided itself in the past on ensuring new deals are given out when there is still at least two years remaining but that hasn’t happened for some reason.
Alexander-Arnold may have told Liverpool that he wanted to focus on the Euros with England before discussing his future so there may be more developments over the coming days.
Other Liverpool players are in the same boat as Alexander-Arnold
Captain Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah also have contracts that expire in 2025, but due to their age, their situation is not as surprising.
One or both could be offered a short-term contract extension before the end of the summer, although van Dijk has raised doubts about his future. Talking after the Netherlands were knocked out of the European Championships, he said:
“I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player. Then we’ll go for it again, but first recover from this. After a season like this, where all kinds of things have happened, it gets emotional at the end because you know it’s over.”
