Trent Alexander-Arnold's difficult start at Real Madrid has been marked by injuries and some poor performances
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid shakes hands with Liverpool manager Arne Slot at full-time following the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield on November 04, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is struggling for minutes at Real Madrid(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
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Trent Alexander-Arnold's transfer to Real Madrid isn't unfolding as expected. And according to reports from Spain, his stint at the Bernabeu could be remarkably short.
The ex-Liverpool right-back has struggled with injuries since his move from Anfield last summer. This has limited Alexander-Arnold to just 11 appearances this season, with only seven of those being starts.
He's spent much of the campaign watching from the stands as the club has descended into chaos, with Xabi Alonso being sacked amid rising tensions with his players - and it appears his successor isn't particularly impressed with Alexander-Arnold.
El Nacional reported last week that the 27-year-old has been informed by Alvaro Arbeloa to seek a new club in the summer, with the new Real Madrid manager allegedly telling him he won't feature in his plans.
While that claim has been disputed elsewhere, there are mounting concerns about Alexander-Arnold in the Spanish capital. Even under Alonso, he wasn't guaranteed a starting spot when available, and now with a former right-back at the helm, it seems he may need to work harder to win over both Arbeloa and the famously unforgiving Bernabeu faithful.
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This isn't the first occasion Alexander-Arnold's commitment has been called into question. Shortly before his departure from Anfield, Arne Slot delivered a parting remark, which might help explain why he's struggled to settle in Spain. Slot discussed his relationship with Alexander-Trent before the final match of last season, revealing the extent of their communication.
"I talk to most players, not on a daily basis, but a lot," he said. "If there are circumstances why I should talk to them, you talk a bit more often to them. It's clear with Trent's situation that those circumstances are there for me to talk more with him than with Virgil [van Dijk], for example.
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid CF looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Athletic Club and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de San Mames on December 03, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain.
The right-back has been struggling in Spain(Image: Diego Souto/Getty Images)
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"I am talking to him as a human being. That, combined with winning something together, creates a different bond to the one the fans have with him. I do talk to him, quite a lot actually - although, when we started pre-season, he was in my office quite a lot as well for other reasons."
Slot added: "He is going to leave either way so why not say it? Maybe it is a first gift I can give to Xabi Alonso! I wasn't completely happy with every minute of how he was on the training ground. In certain moments, I felt he could do a bit more, to say it mildly. That is what we talked about.
Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool speaks with Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool as he comes off during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Liverpool FC at Villa Park on February 19, 2025 in Birmingham, England.
Slot had plenty to say about the ex-Red(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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"I told him, 'You are a much better defender than people tell you, but you don't show it all the time.' I said, 'If you are at it and concentrated, there are not many players who can go around you'. Because he is fast, agile, has a great mentality but it is about showing that every single game."
Alexander-Arnold is currently sidelined through injury, but he'll face the challenge of impressing yet another manager on his return, following his experiences with both Slot and Alonso in recent times. Should he fail to get it right, those rumours emerging from Spain could swiftly become reality.