Image for Liverpool and Trent Alexander-Arnold reunion not likely to happen
Image for Liverpool and Trent Alexander-Arnold reunion not likely to happen
Liverpool will not be bringing Trent Alexander-Arnold back to Anfield in January, reports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
It doesn’t seem likely to happen at any point either. It would, in my opinion, be a mistake to go back.
Not only did Alexander-Arnold burn many bridges in making his move to Madrid, but Liverpool have now had a taste of what it’s like to have a defensively sound right-back.
Ronald Araujo was Man of the Match against Brighton on Sunday, with his ferocious style of play treating the Kop to an afternoon of intense tackling and a never-say-die attitude.
Alexander-Arnold, for all his creativity and passing ingenuity, left a lot to be desired defensively. Signing him would be based purely on his ability to run the game from fullback, but the trade-off is too great.
The former Liverpool star is also 28 now, which means he would offer little to no resale value in the event that an Anfield reunion failed.
When asked whether he thinks that Alexander-Arnold could leave Madrid, Balague told talkSPORT: “No, not in January.
“What he’s feeling right now is ‘Okay, it’s not my time, but it will be my time, I will prepare for my time’. That’s how he’s taking the whole thing.
“But there are two ahead of him in the same position (Valverde and Dumfries) and in fact, Eder Militao was also used as a right back against Sevilla. So is he fourth choice? He’s certainly third it seems.
“But he’s not down, he’s been told by Mourinho to keep at it, he will have his moment.
“It’s been unfair that when he has played from the start, he has played in the midfield because of the absentees.
“But in any case, he’s got to keep fighting and he wants to succeed at Real Madrid, so he’s got no intention of leaving.”
Liverpool should instead trigger the £47m option-to-buy clause in Ronald Araujo’s contract or sign a traditional right-back like Michael Kayode.
It would also set a precedent whereby players will realize they can abandon Liverpool by running their contracts down and be welcome back with open arms.