Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled to cement a place in the Real Madrid side since making his way from Liverpool, which could open up the possibility of a return
Alexander Arnold of Real Madrid takes a drink of water prior to the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid
Trent Alexander-Arnold should make a return to Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images))
It's time to put past grievances aside and say that Trent Alexander-Arnold should return to Liverpool. It's a call that may not be popular with fans, understandably following the way he left the club, but it may be the right time to seal a move back to Merseyside.
The 27-year-old left the Anfield faithful feeling betrayed when he announced his intention to leave the club at the end of his contract last summer, with an agreement lined up with Real Madrid.
Given all the talk surrounding a move and how pre-planned it felt, to the point where Alexander-Arnold was able to speak Spanish at his unveiling, supporters were hardly going to give the academy graduate the send-off that he desired. The Liverpool fans voiced their annoyance at the defender in his final few games, as well as during his first game back at Anfield for Real Madrid in the Champions League.
While Alexander-Arnold had dreams of winning the Ballon d'Or and winning trophies at the Bernabeu, that has been far from what the first year has had in store for him.
Injury issues and off-pitch chaos at Real Madrid has left him without any momentum, and in need of an arm around him. In Jose Mourinho, he seems unlikely to get that.
So far, the manager has seemingly placed summer signing Denzel Dumfries ahead of the England international at right-back, picking the Netherlands star to start the opening clash of the season against Espanyol.
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid CF looks on during the Real Madrid training session held in collaboration with CD Leganes
Trent Alexander-Arnold discussed Liverpool in an interview(Image: (Photo By Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images))
The grass isn't always greener on the other side. But it isn't exactly blooming back at Anfield either, where right-back troubles continue to be a problem.
Last season, Liverpool was hit by plenty of troubles on the right flank, as injury issues for Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong required Arne Slot to find creative solutions such as Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones in that position. However, that displaced the pair from being effective in their best roles, and it is hardly a long-term solution.
Frimpong is back in action for Andoni Iraola, but he hasn't shown any of the quality required to compete at the top level in either a defensive or attacking sense, while Bradley remains sidelined. That's all to say that not only does Alexander-Arnold need Liverpool, but Liverpool also needs Alexander-Arnold.
It feels as though that much is clear, not least from the player's side, as he recently held an interview with The Mirror to discuss his exit from Liverpool, seemingly looking to build bridges with his old team and the fanbase once again.
"I still watch every [Liverpool] game," he admitted. "I support them. I want to see them do well. I enjoy watching them, and there will always be a place in my heart for Liverpool, no matter what.
"It is home to me. It’s the place that gave me the opportunities to go and do what I’ve done, and I will always love it. It’s always a place that I’ll call home."
Whether that is the laying the foundations for a potential return or simply his way of making amends, it's hard to tell. However, it may go a long way to getting a deal in place for a return that makes sense for almost all parties.
The elephant left in the room is Real Madrid, and what the team could demand for an exit. It's unclear if that would be possible, but it's a move that Liverpool should make.