Trent Alexander-Arnold shared his concerns about returning to the Premier League after Jose Mourinho’s rejection, as a new problem comes up.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s time at Real Madrid hasn’t gone as planned, and there are talks he might head back to the Premier League in the next transfer window. Since joining Real on a six-year deal from Liverpool, the English player has found it tough to secure a regular spot, playing just 41 games and slipping down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho.
The 28-year-old didn’t even make it onto the pitch in the last two games, including their 4-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday. Mourinho has preferred playing midfielder Federico Valverde and Denzel Dumfries at right back instead. After the big win, which featured two goals from Kylian Mbappe, Mourinho said it’s “not easy to leave two quality right-backs on the bench” and praised Valverde’s performance.
But not giving Alexander-Arnold playing time, even late in matches at the Santiago Bernabeu, has raised questions about his future at the club. In La Liga, he’s only averaged 53 minutes per game. Despite that, European football expert Andy Brassell thinks he shouldn’t rush into leaving Madrid just yet, even with rumors linking him back to the Premier League.
Brassell told talkSPORT, “It’s up to him, but it depends on how much he plays between now and Christmas. If he only gets a few starts, he might feel it’s not worth it. But moving in January doesn’t often work out as a dream move—rarely do players settle in quickly.” He also mentioned Mourinho seems to prefer Dumfries in that right-back spot, so Alexander-Arnold might need to think about his future at the end of the season and whether he’s okay with being a backup.
Alexander-Arnold’s contract with Real runs until June 2031, so the club is in a strong position financially. Still, that hasn’t stopped several clubs from keeping an eye on him. TEAMtalk reports that four Premier League clubs are watching closely, including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea—who have a connection through Xabi Alonso, their coach who worked with Trent at Madrid.
Bayern Munich from the Bundesliga are also interested. Real Madrid would consider a “reasonable offer” if one comes their way.
Steve Nicol, a former Liverpool right-back, thinks Alexander-Arnold probably regrets leaving Liverpool and believes he could easily get back into the team under Andoni Iraola. He told ESPN, “I’d be surprised if he doesn’t regret leaving Liverpool. He wouldn’t always have to say yes if Real Madrid called. If he were still at Liverpool, he’d be playing every week. But he’s not—so how could he not regret moving? He’s won everything and now needs to play regularly. He’d step right back into the Liverpool team today. The big question is, ‘What’s he thinking now?’ He’s probably regretting it.”