Man City are believed to be considering a shock swoop for a former Liverpool fan favouriteplaceholder image
Man City are believed to be considering a shock swoop for a former Liverpool fan favourite | Getty Images/ Canva
Manchester City remain in the market for a Kyle Walker replacement - and are ramping up their efforts to land a former Premier League star.
Premier League title hopefuls Manchester City are reportedly considering a shock move to sign Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The former Liverpool right-back moved to the Spanish capital at the end of last season after a 20-year association with the Anfield side. He made a combined total of 354 appearances for the Reds during his time with the club lifting eight major honours alongside his team-mates, which consist of two Premier League titles, the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups.
After signing for Madrid, Trent said: "I want to show Real Madrid fans how I play. I do realise I'm signing for Real Madrid, the demands are high, but I'm going to give my all to the team and Real Madrid fans. I want to show those fans how I play. I want to win many titles, I want to be a winner here and enjoy playing alongside the best. Hala Madrid."
However, his decision to leave his boyhood club at the end of his contract proved controversial with many supporters, who assumed the scouser would one day inherit the captain’s armband from Virgil van Dijk. In the end Liverpool received around £8m for the defender due to Madrid’s desire to fast-track the transfer and have the England international in their squad for the Club World Cup. But after a slow start to his career at the Bernabeu, he could end up staying there for less time than he thought...
Man City ‘hold talks’ with Trent Alexander-Arnold
According to TEAMtalk, Man City have “held talks” with Alexander-Arnold’s intermediaries over a potential transfer to the Etihad Stadium.
Alexander-Arnold has only been at Real Madrid for seven months but has struggled to make the desired impact at the Bernabeu Stadium after making just 11 appearances this season. The 34-time England international has started just five La Liga matches in an injury-hit season and has been named as a substitute in five of the 10 league games he’s been available for.
Alexander-Arnold, who is currently out injured, is thought to be keen to prove to caretaker boss Alvaro Arbeloa that he’s capable of fighting for a first team spot, but is also thought to be frustrated at the way things have panned out in the Spanish capital so far. Reports suggest City are actively looking at right-back options as they continue to try and find a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker, with right-back proving to be a problem position this season.
Statement deal for Alexander-Arnold would be expensive
When Alexander-Arnold agreed to join Real Madrid, he signed a six-year deal which runs until 2031. That long-term commitment means any move would require a significant financial package, both in terms of transfer fee and wages.
Real Madrid are not thought to be looking to cash in on the player at this stage despite his subdued start, but could be tempted to do business later down the line if things don’t improve or if they receive a substantial offer for the right-back’s services. This isn’t a deal which looks especially likely to take place in January as it stands, but it remains unclear as to the kind of timeline to which Manchester City are hoping to operate.
Any such move would likely be extremely unpopular with Liverpool supporters, many of whom turned against Alexander-Arnold after he left the club at the end of last season - but it could solve a long-standing issue for Pep Guardiola at right-back and provide him with a player whose quality in possession suits his playing style. Whether such a move could indeed take place, and when - or whether this is merely gossip which proves to be unfounded - remains to be seen.
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