Jude Bellingham is Liverpool's WORST NIGHTMARE

The Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid saga has been well established by now.

If the right-back isn’t going to renew his contract and stay at his boyhood club, it will almost certainly be the heady heights of the Santiago Bernabeu where he heads.

READ MORE: Forgotten star in line for first game in THREE years

The argument for it only really makes sense in a juvenile way. Playing for the ‘biggest club in the world’ (and the inverted commas do a lot of heavy lifting there), in the ‘iconic’ white shirt, with a legitimate chance at glory every single season.

It still doesn’t hold up compared to playing for the actual best team in the world right now, that team being your boyhood club, representing where you grew up and who you are, and being one of the biggest stars the side has.

In that regard, joining Real Madrid seems to fall flat. It would be a move to a new country, a new social life, and a group of players you don’t know.

Well, almost.

Alexander-Arnold’s friendship with fellow Englishman, Real Madrid star, and once Liverpool-linked Jude Bellingham is no secret.

And Spanish outlet Relevo have revealed that Bellingham is reportedly doing everything he can to convince Trent to head to the continent.

Jude Bellingham is convincing Alexander-Arnold to join Real Madrid

“They share a magnificent relationship. Their friendship is evident in front of the cameras, as they demonstrate when they meet in the English national team,” The report reads.

“In those conversations in the dressing room or on WhatsApp, Jude has tried to convince him to wear white. To not renew with Liverpool and to change his surroundings by moving to Madrid.

“...Added to this is the fact that Bellingham would be delighted to see his Three Lions teammate join the Madrid squad. Not everyone at the club considers Arnold to be an indispensable player… Bellingham is one of those people who considers him to be a difference-maker and who can give the squad a leap in quality.”

The report also explains that this is a tactic Madrid have employed in the past, with Vinicius Junior leading the personal charge to sign Kylian Mbappe.

It remains to be seen as to whether it will work, but Bellingham’s presence at Madrid is a legitimate fly in the ointment for Liverpool. Without him, Alexander-Arnold would have no real personal link to the club.

But with a boy living the dream out there, moving from his boyhood club to Europe to become a global superstar, it is easy to sell the same dream to Trent.

Liverpool will have to evoke their own emotional ties if they are to convince him to stay. Two can very much play at that game.

READ MORE: Trent Alexander-Arnold's contract decision CLEAR