Now into the last season of his contract at Liverpool, all the talk has been on why the club hasn’t made concrete progress on extension talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold yet.
But having played at Liverpool all his life, the Scouse talent may now be looking at his options to explore a move abroad.
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Despite being a standout player for Liverpool throughout ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s tenure, and now also finding favour with Arne Slot, Alexander-Arnold’s future at the club is uncertain.
His talent on the ball is unrivalled and he is a key facet to the way the Reds play, with his driving runs down the flanks and pin-point crosses.
However, with Liverpool yet to tie the 25-year-old down, he will soon be given permission to search for alternative destinations next season, should contract talks continue to be unsuccessful.
Having been in sparkling form at the start of this season, and with many of his England teammates now finding their feet away from England, Liverpool’s vice-captain might be tempted to take the plunge elsewhere.
A meet-up with Bellingham at Real Madrid?
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have been in ‘constant contact’ with Alexander-Arnold and are planning a move for him in 2025.
Whilst already having one of the most stacked squads in Europe, with talented players littered across every position, the Spanish giants are likely to continue their proactive approach in the transfer market to add to their already stellar depth.
Despite having tried to recruit Alexander-Arnold ‘for several years’, Madrid now feel that his friendship with Jude Bellingham could help to tempt him away from Merseyside.
And the longer Trent’s contract runs down, the more likely it will be that he becomes a free agent, where he will have his pick of Europe’s elite clubs for the next part of his career.
Liverpool’s looming departures amidst contract carnage
Alongside Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s Premier League record goalscorer Mohamed Salah and club captain Virgil Van Dijk also face the prospect of leaving the club should contract negotiations not yield a successful agreement.
TeamTalk believes recent reports of Liverpool’s right-back turning down a contract offer are accurate, and while Richard Hughes is likely to step up his efforts to tie Trent down, the outlook isn’t altogether positive.
Liverpool face an uphill battle this season to ensure neither of the club’s three talismen end up departing Merseyside, but there is still time yet.
Real Madrid visit Anfield in November for a crucial Champions League battle, and all eyes will be on Trent and Bellingham should an agreement not be in place by then.