Liverpool consider Trent Alexander-Arnold return as Real Madrid struggles deepen

Liverpool have opened talks over a sensational move to bring Trent Alexander-Arnold back to Anfield, sensing an opportunity as his Real Madrid career stalls under Jose Mourinho.

Spanish radio station SER Deportivos reports that the Merseyside club have contacted the defender’s representatives and are actively weighing up a loan deal for January, with his minutes in Spain shrinking and his status in the squad badly diminished.

From marquee signing to third choice

Alexander-Arnold, now 28, arrived at the Bernabéu with the weight of expectation and a reputation as one of Europe’s most inventive full-backs. Instead, his time in Madrid has turned into a grind.

He has started just 4 of Real Madrid’s 13 matches this season, slipping to third in the pecking order at right-back behind Federico Valverde and summer signing Denzel Dumfries. The hierarchy could not be clearer.

The most telling moment came in the biggest fixture of all. For the clash with Barcelona – a game Real Madrid won 2-1 – Mourinho again trusted Valverde on the right side of defence. Alexander-Arnold watched the defining La Liga showdown from the fringes, a stark illustration of how far he has fallen in the Portuguese coach’s plans.

The contrast with the fanfare that greeted his arrival is sharp. What was supposed to be a new chapter at the top of European football has turned into a fight just to get on the pitch.

Liverpool’s right-back crisis changes the picture

Back on Merseyside, circumstances are forcing Liverpool to look outward. The club are short at right-back and short on time.

Conor Bradley has only just returned from knee surgery and is still working his way back to full sharpness. Jeremie Frimpong remains out with a muscular problem. That combination has left Liverpool exposed on a flank that, in the past, defined their attacking identity.

In that context, the idea of a reunion with Alexander-Arnold, the academy product who once symbolised the club’s modern era, has re-entered the conversation at Anfield. His departure from Liverpool came amid controversy and debate, but the need for proven quality – and familiarity with the club’s demands – has prompted a reassessment.

A short-term loan in January would offer Liverpool experience, creativity and depth in a problem position. For the player, it would offer something just as valuable: regular football in a system he knows inside out.

Madrid’s dilemma: wages, status and Bellingham

Any deal, though, is far from straightforward.

Alexander-Arnold earns around €16.7 million a year at Real Madrid, a salary that immediately becomes one of the biggest obstacles to a loan agreement. Covering even a substantial portion of those wages would require serious financial commitment from Liverpool, and a willingness from Madrid to negotiate.

There is also the dressing-room dynamic. Alexander-Arnold has built a close bond with compatriot Jude Bellingham, now one of the pillars of Real Madrid’s project. Club figures are understood to be wary of making any move that might unsettle the England midfielder or disturb the environment in which he has thrived.

That consideration weighs heavily. Bellingham is central to Madrid’s present and future; any decision around Alexander-Arnold will be measured against its potential impact on their star midfielder.

Player not pushing for exit – but options are circling

Despite the speculation, those close to Alexander-Arnold insist he is not actively agitating to leave Real Madrid. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been linked with him in recent windows, yet the message from his camp remains that he is not driving an exit.

For now, at least, the initiative lies with the clubs. Liverpool see an opening. Real Madrid hold the contract. The player sits between them, short of minutes but not short of admirers.

The coming winter window will test how much Liverpool truly want their former right-back back in red – and how much Real Madrid are prepared to bend for a defender who has slipped out of Mourinho’s first-choice side but still carries a heavyweight wage and a heavyweight name.