‘Trent Alexander-Arnold followed Kylian Mbappe after two years of Real Madrid talks’
Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to join Real Madrid now that his acrimonious departure from Liverpool has been confirmed.
The full-back announced that he will be leaving the Reds in the summer following the expiration of his contract in a move that has angered Liverpool fans.
Alexander-Arnold could join Madrid as early as next month, with the Spanish giants wanting to complete the deal ahead of their involvement in the revamped Club World Cup.
Liverpool have already clinched the Premier League title this season, but losing their star academy graduate is a bitter blow.
Arne Slot has tied both Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah down to new deals, but was unable to achieve the same feat with Alexander-Arnold and it has been suggestions that his move to Los Blancos has been on the cards for some time.
Real Madrid plotted Alexander-Arnold transfer for years
It was widely reported that Real Madrid were speaking to Alexander-Arnold as his contract ran down at Liverpool.
There were even rumours that Madrid were willing to pay a fee in January to sign the right-back in the winter transfer window.
| Games Played | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
| 42 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
However, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that the move would have been in the works for two years.
Speaking live on beIN SPORTS (6 May), Wenger said: “There are no transfers anymore for the big, big players, they all go at the end of their contract because the wages are so high.
“What do the big clubs do? They say two years before the end of a contract: ‘We want to buy you, we give you these wages and we will try to make an offer to the club. If it doesn’t work, we come back next year, and if it doesn’t work then, we will take you for free.’
“That is what they [Real Madrid] did with [Kylian] Mbappe as well.”
Real Madrid still have ultimate pull
Football Insider Verdict
With their move for Alexander-Arnold, Madrid have proved once again that they are the biggest club in the world and can effectively lure any player they want to the Bernabeu.
They have already brought in the likes of Mbappe and Jude Bellingham over the past couple of seasons, and this is yet another example of their pulling power.
Liverpool fans felt betrayed by Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave as the right-back had been with the Reds since the age of six.
However, despite being a local lad and supporting the club, the Englishman could not resist the chance to play for Los Blancos and pull on that famous white jersey.
This isn’t the first time that Madrid have flexed their muscles in the transfer market, and whenever the next new star appears somewhere around the world, there is a good chance that they will be heading to the Spanish capital.