Andy Townsend has urged Liverpool to try and re-sign Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid with his future in the Spanish capital in question under new boss Jose Mourinho and following the signing of Denzel Dumfries
Trent Alexander Arnold player of Real Madrid exercising inside the gym at Ciudad Real Madrid
Trent Alexander Arnold player of Real Madrid exercising inside the gym at Ciudad Real Madrid (Image: 2026 Real Madrid)
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Liverpool have been urged to re-sign Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid. The England international left his boyhood club last summer after controversially running down his contract, leaving in a deal worth £10m to the Reds a month before his deal was due to expire in order to represent the La Liga giants at the FIFA Club World Cup.
However, the 27-year-old endured a difficult first season in Spain as he struggled for his best form and battled with injury. Limited to just 21 La Liga appearances last season, he started 22 times in the Spanish top-flight and Champions League combined and returned five assists.
He was later left out of the England squad by Thomas Tuchel for this summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States, while his place at the Bernabeu is now under threat after new manager Jose Mourinho signed Denzel Dumfries.
Liverpool have endured their own struggles at right-back since Alexander-Arnold’s departure, with Conor Bradley currently a long-term absentee due to a knee injury and Jeremie Frimpong enduring his own below-par first season at a new club as he too struggled for form and fitness.
And with Andoni Iraola currently left short defensively, having seen the Dutchman limp off in the Reds' pre-season loss to Leeds United,former Chelsea captain Andy Townsend has urged the Reds to rescue Alexander-Arnold from the Bernabeu and try to re-sign their former vice-captain on loan.
“First and foremost, purely as a player, if he came back to Liverpool, would he improve them? 100 percent, yes,” Townsend said on talkSPORT. “[Jeremie] Frimpong one, as a right-back, I’ve not really got.
“It’s so important nowadays with these full backs being such an important part of a team’s attacking intentions. If you can’t deliver anything half decent when you get into a good area, and from what I’ve seen of him so far, I’ve not really seen that final delivery, which Trent can do in his sleep.
“So, I think he absolutely would improve them. The question is how the club would feel about it. That’s going to be a difficult pill probably for some Liverpool fans to swallow.
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"He doesn't need another season like he had last time. That would have been a big disappointment to him.
“Secretly, he would have been a little hurt that it never happened, he never really got going and had a few injury issues.
"I think Liverpool should, if they can get any deal done for him on a loan basis for a season, whatever those fees are now, up to £10 million for a season, I wouldn't turn your nose up at that to get that boy back through the door. He is top, top drawer."
Alexander-Arnold faced backlash from Liverpool supporters after announcing his decision not to renew his contract with the Reds and was booed by some members of the Anfield crowd both when featuring in his first appearance after his announcement last May and when facing his former club with Real Madrid last November.