Reports in Spain claim Real Madrid have contacted Trent Alexander-Arnold to gauge interest in a transfer, saying he has “not responded” to Liverpool’s offers.
Alexander-Arnold is three months away from being able to speak to clubs outside of England over a free transfer.
There is no suggestion yet that this is his intention, of course, but with no reports of a breakthrough in negotiations with Liverpool rumours to be expected.
The latest has come from Spanish outlet Relevo, who claim that Real Madrid have been in contact with the right-back’s representatives on “several” occasions to find out “the chances of success of a possible operation.”
It is reported that Alexander-Arnold “has not responded to any of the renewal proposals” from Liverpool, including one made “recently.”
Incredibly, Relevo suggest that Real’s plan would be for the 25-year-old to “gradually take over” from Dani Carvajal, rather than replacing a player who will turn 33 in January.
More nonsense?
Liverpool fans can hold concern over Alexander-Arnold’s future, but this latest update is not worth getting carried away with.
Firstly, the timing of the report – on the back of Real’s shock 1-0 loss to Lille in the Champions League – is particularly suspicious, with this often a tactic used by the Madrid club to regain favour with their toxic support.
And the player himself has insisted that his contract situation would not be “played out in public,” as he told reporters last month.
“Look, I have been at the club 20 years now,” he explained in the mixed zone after the 3-0 win over Bournemouth.
“I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public. This one won’t be either.”
It is not in his or his representative brother Tyler’s nature to discuss developments in talks with journalists, and if there is progress in negotiations with Liverpool that will likely break shortly before any official announcement.
That should extend to any hypothetical contact with Real, too, and unless sources within the Spanish club have leaked details to Relevo there will be little truth to them.
Arne Slot was asked yet again for the latest of new contracts for Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk in his pre-Crystal Palace press conference – and gave his usual “boring” answer.
“It’s the same boring answer as always,” he replied.
“I could really understand if you ask me this once every two weeks, but if you ask me this after two or three days again, you’ll still get the same answer and people feel that I’m boring them.”
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