Real Madrid take out €9m insurance policy on Trent Alexander-Arnold

The future of Trent Alexander-Arnold has never been less certain.

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The Liverpool-born defender has less than five months remaining on his current deal at Anfield, and a departure is looking more and more likely.

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Real Madrid are clearly the front runners to sign the 26-year-old if he does leave Merseyside but there is no deal in place yet.

The Reds are still in negotiations over a new deal with Alexander-Arnold, but progress seems to be very slow.

Nevertheless, Real Madrid have a contingency plan in place just in case the Scouser in Liverpool’s team decides to extend his stay in his hometown.

Real Madrid’s Alex Jimenez buy-back clause

Alex Jimenez is not a name many supporters would have heard of before this season, the 19-year-old had only featured for AC Milan a handful of times before December, but he has quickly become one of the Rossoneri’s most important players.

Capable of being deployed at both left and right-back, the Spaniard joined AC Milan permanently from Real Madrid in the summer for €5 million after spending the last season on loan with the team.

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After playing for AC Milan’s second team for the first half of the season in Serie C, Jimenez has broken onto the scene as the senior team’s starting right-back since he made his first Serie A appearance of the season in December.

Now, it is being reported by Revelo that Real Madrid have a €9 million buy-back clause in Jimenez’s contract for this summer.

Los Blancos contingency plan

The report also states that AC Milan are keen to renegotiate the buyout clause to ensure they don’t lose their new star for such a small fee, but he could well be on his way back to Madrid at the close of the season.

If Alexander-Arnold does agree to an extension at Anfield, or decides his future doesn’t lie in either Merseyside or Madrid, then Carlo Ancelotti’s side will have to look elsewhere.

Jimenez represents an excellent opportunity for Los Blancos to bring in an exciting young talent for a very minimal fee.

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Real Madrid will still be hopeful they can get a deal for Alexander-Arnold over the line, but Liverpool fans might take some solace from the fact they do have other options.

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