Trent Alexander-Arnold faces increased competition for his place in the Real Madrid team, and some pundits have suggested a return to Liverpool should be in his thinking before long
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid looks on during the game against Atletico de Madrid
Trent Alexander-Arnold has endured a difficult time at Real Madrid so far(Image: Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Former Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has already insisted he will always love the club, with some pundits now suggesting he should return to Anfield with his Real Madrid future clouded in doubt.
The 27-year-old had spent the majority of his career with Liverpool, having progressed through the academy and broken into the first team under Jurgen Klopp. He was appointed vice captain by the former manager back in 2023.
Under Klopp, Alexander-Arnold established himself as one of the most formidable right backs in the game, so there was little surprise when Real Madrid circled as his contract entered its final year. He eventually completed the move to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2025 on a free transfer, although Real Madrid did pay a nominal fee in order to sign him in time for the Club World Cup.
Unfortunately for Alexander-Arnold, his time in Madrid so far has been anything but straightforward. In his first year at the club, he endured a handful of injury problems and missed 24 games in total.
Last season, he made 30 appearances across all competitions but did not score a single goal - registering five assists in that time. Instead of backing Alexander-Arnold to have a more productive second season, Real Madrid invested in another right back in Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan during the summer transfer window.
This season, Alexander-Arnold has started just three of his five appearances across all competitions so far. It has been widely reported across Spain that Dumfries is Jose Mourinho's undisputed first-choice right back at present.
While there were tentative suggestions Alexander-Arnold could've departed Real Madrid in the summer, there were no concrete links or any suggestions he is actively looking to move on. Whether that changes as his game time suffers remains to be seen, but some pundits have already suggested the defender should seek a return to the Premier League, most notably with Liverpool.
Trent Alexander-Arnold right-back of Real Madrid during a warm-up before a La Liga match
Trent Alexander-Arnold is struggling for regular game time at Real Madrid(Image: Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Former England manager Sam Allardyce suggested the Reds could do with their former right back, despite some question marks over his defending. Of course, one of the huge obstacles to any potential future move would be the damaged relationship between the player and supporters after he controversially ran down his contract in order to secure the move as a free agent.
That said, despite supporters voicing their frustrations at the end of his time at the club, Alexander-Arnold has openly expressed that he will always love Liverpool. Speaking before his return to Anfield as an opposition player in the Champions League last season, he said as much.
"I think whichever way I am received is the decision of the fans," he told BBC Sport last November. "I will always love the club.
"I will always be a fan of the club. I will always be thankful for the opportunities [Liverpool gave me] and everything that we achieved together will live with me forever."
Alexander-Arnold may be competing for his place at club level, but he did earn a recall to Thomas Tuchel's England squad this month for its Nations League fixtures against Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
This comes after he was one of a few high-profile omissions from the World Cup squad over the summer. Now, he has a chance to re-establish his place in the manager's thinking as the road to Euro 2028 begins, but of course, earning regular minutes in a Real Madrid shirt, or elsewhere, will be key to his involvement.