Real Madrid transfer approach gives Liverpool new decision to make

Real Madrid have made an approach to Liverpool to see if they can sign Trent Alexander-Arnold before his contract expires on June 30 ahead of Club World Cup

Real Madrid are trying to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold before the Club World Cup next month.

The Spanish giants have approached Liverpool about trying to get the defender out of his contract early on Monday night. Alexander-Arnold, 26, confirmed earlier on Monday that he will leave Anfield at the end of his current contract which expires on June 30.

The plan was for the England international to then sign his Real contract on July 1 after agreeing to move to the Spanish giants earlier this year. But the new Club World Cup kicks off for Real on June 18 against Al Hilal in Miami and they want Alexander-Arnold to be part of the squad.

Real tried to sign Alexander-Arnold in January but Liverpool refused to entertain the idea as they were still trying to convince him to stay and wanted the right-back to help them in their Premier League title pursuit. If they were to get him earlier it could still take a significant financial package for the Reds to agree any early termination.

Alexander-Arnold could still feature at the Club World Cup even if Real cannot strike a deal with the Reds. The FIFA rules allow clubs to register new players until July 3 so he could feature in the latter stages of the tournament in the USA should Real progress.

READ MORE: Manchester United transfer stance on Bruno Fernandes as Saudi Arabia comes callingREAD MORE: Inside Trent Alexander-Arnold exit meeting as private Arne Slot talks emerge

Liverpool believe they exhausted all possibilities to convince the defender to extend like Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk. They offered him a financial package to make him the best paid full-back in the Premier League and one of the leading earners in the world for the position.

Talks have been ongoing about a new deal for over a year now. Sporting director Richard Hughes took over discussions when he got the job last April and his first call was to Alexander-Arnold’s team.

Alexander-Arnold told Slot in a face-to-face meeting during the March international break that he was leaving. It came after talks ended with Hughes and his reps. Alexander-Arnold has made 352 first-team appearances for the club since he made his debut in 2016, scoring 23 goals and creating 86 while winning eight major trophies including two Premier League titles and the Champions League.

The decision has led to some fans criticising the boyhood Liverpool fan for walking away for nothing with former Red Jamie Carragher saying he has lost the “unconditional support from The Kop”.

Alexander-Arnold said: “People won’t be happy on the decision but I feel it is something I have to do on my journey and my career. The times that I’ve had here, the memories, the special moments are and will always be the most special moments of my life. And memories that will live with me forever.

“Being able to sit here now as a two-time Premier League champion for the club I grew up loving, it’s a great end to the story for me.”

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