Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold Could Make Shock Liverpool Return

Back in the summer of 2025, Real Madrid signed Liverpool right-back and academy graduate Trent Alexander-Arnold. It was meant to be a free transfer upon the expiry of his Liverpool contract, but the club ended up paying a €10m fee to have his services at the 2025 Club World Cup.

Safe to say, things have not worked out in the Spanish capital for the Englishman. His first season was ravaged with injures and a consistent lack of form from the team, and this season he has seriously struggled for game time under new manager Jose Mourinho.

Since the beginning of the campaign, Alexander-Arnold has played just 345 minutes of football, which equates to fewer than full four games of football, and we are now in November. Not only does Mourinho appear to prefer new signing Denzel Dumfries, but the past few games have seen Federico Valverde given the starting berth at right-back, which does not bode well.

As a result, many people think the 28-year old will depart Los Blancos next summer. A number of clubs have been mentioned in passing - but the consensus is he would not return to Liverpool.

Or would he? Well, English journalist David Lynch is not ruling anything out, saying on his website: “That [a return to Liverpool] is not entirely out of the question, given he did not burn all his bridges in leaving Liverpool, who wished him well in statements relating to his departure - even if there was internal disappointment.”

Very interesting. It would be a bit mad to see him back on Merseyside. It is a surprise to see not all bridges were burned, considering the supporters fume at his decision to leave, which was encapsulated after coming on as a sub for Real Madrid at Anfield last season.

That said, a lot of the player seemed to wish him well, so perhaps it is more fan fume than from players and staff. In any case, it never felt like he would or could return once he left in the summer of 2025. There was hope he would go down a similar path to his compatriot Jude Bellingham, but that has certainly not been the case at all so far.

Coincidently or otherwise, Spanish media outlet Marca (via theMadridZone) are reporting that multiple Premier League clubs want to sign Alexander-Arnold in the January transfer window, but the player himself wants to stay and succeed at Real Madrid.

Well, we know Florentino Perez does not like to do transfer business either way in the winter transfer window, so if the defender’s situation has not improved by the summer, it could certainly be something to keep an eye on — Liverpool or otherwise.