Gary Neville insists Trent Alexander-Arnold would NOT start for Real Madrid – and explains why Liverpool star won’t be the first choice full-back

Gary Neville has claimed that Trent Alexander-Arnold would not start at Real Madrid, as the Liverpool star closes in on a stunning move to the Spanish giants. 

On Tuesday, Mail Sport reported that Los Blancos remain confident of signing Alexander-Arnold this summer – with sources in Spain suggesting the move is close.

With the defender out of contract in the summer – alongside Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah – he has continually been linked with the Spanish giants.

However, as Alexander-Arnold nears a move to Madrid, former Man United defender Neville has claimed that there is a ‘better full-back’ already in the Spanish side. 

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, he said: ‘I said that I thought he [Trent Alexander-Arnold] had to get more serious about his defending – I’ve said that constantly – or else it will cause him problems. 

‘I think it will cause him a problem at Real Madrid because they have Federico Valverde, who is playing right-back currently, and Dani Carvajal when he’s back – he’s going to have some serious competition’.

Gary Neville has warned the Liverpool star that he will face tough competition in Madrid 

Neville was asked whether he felt both Valverde and Carvajal were better than the England international, to which he said: ‘I think Carvajal, from a balance of going forward and back.

‘The problem is that he’s 32 and has had a bad injury – but for me, Carvajal is a better full-back than Trent because of what he gives to the team. 

‘It’s unbelievable what Valverde is doing for them at the moment, so he’s going to have competition when he goes.

‘Coming back to Trent, I said he needs to get more serious about his defending, and that was proven by the fact he couldn’t get in the England team for many years, and he gets subbed for Liverpool a lot. 

‘I’ve never known a right-back get subbed so many times in important periods of matches’.

The news that Alexander-Arnold is close to a move to Madrid sent social media into a frenzy, with one fan taking their protestations to a whole new level. 

A clip emerged on X which showed a supporter burning the back of an Alexander-Arnold shirt and proudly holding it up to the camera. 

Dani Carvajal (left) and Federico Valverde (right) will provide competition for Alexander-Arnold

Neville insisted that the Liverpool star still needs to improve his defensive abilities

Neville reflected on how Liverpool fans will feel towards their homegrown star, saying: ‘As a fan, he’s a local kid and fans have a right to feel that way. 

‘I also think about it with my David Beckham cap on, thinking about what career he had when he went to Real Madrid, and then Milan, and he had the experiences that have led him to what he’s done since.

‘He wouldn’t have had that if he stayed at United, so part of me thinks that since I’ve stopped playing football, I think differently about it. 

‘The experience of going to Real Madrid and playing there is incredible for him.’

Gary Neville was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.