Trent Alexander-Arnold faces new €35m threat at Real Madrid

Trent Alexander-Arnold made a triumphant return to Real Madrid action after injury against Valencia on Sunday – but the England international faces a fresh threat in the summer.

Signed for €10 million from Liverpool in June, Alexander-Arnold’s career at the Bernabeu has been punctuated by injuries as well as a difficult adaptation process in Spain.

Indeed, there has been speculation that Los Blancos might be ready to cut their losses with Trent.

His bright 15-minute cameo on his return has brought renewed hope that he might prove to be Real Madrid’s long-term option at right-back, but that’s not about to stop the Spaniards investing heavily in the position in the summer.

Dani Carvajal is out of contract at the end of the season and appears destined to leave after failing to win a minute in La Liga following his return from injury at the beginning of January.

Real Madrid discuss €35m Wesley move

Real Madrid are tracking Roma defender Wesley Franca, who has enjoyed a spectacular rise in Serie A since the capital club paid €25m to sign him from Flamengo in the summer.

The 22-year-old is seen as a “strategic investment” for Los Blancos, with a fee of €35m being discussed to bring him to the Bernabeu to provide a challenge to Alexander-Arnold for next term.

Wesley’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has risen to €26.6m since he moved to Italy, where he has provided three goals and one assist in 29 games.

Why Wesley is a credible alternative to Trent

Wesley is regarded by data analytics experts SciSports as a player who has the potential to grow into a first-team regular at Real Madrid. He has developed rapidly over the course of the last six months, boasting impressive speed and stamina.

While Real Madrid want him to play on the right, he has also featured regularly on the left for Roma in Serie A this season, meaning that it may not be a case of Wesley or Trent playing.

His statistical profile shows that he puts up bigger defensive numbers than Alexander-Arnold, but this may simply be a symptom of playing for a less dominant side than Real Madrid. Going forward, he mirrors the Englishman’s numbers at a slightly lower levels in all domains with the exception of passes into the final third.

Wesley looks a credible alternative to Trent, and even if his price of €35m looks a little high for the moment, the type of fee Real Madrid are discussing does not look outrageous.

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