Alexander-Arnold’s Madrid move opens up some doubts

He didn’t join his national team due to physical issues, but as the spotlight of the international break dimmed, his name began to echo across the transfer market. Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, is edging closer to becoming a Real Madrid player. British media are already picturing him in white, and transfer experts – including Fabrizio Romano – report that the player and the Spanish club have reached an agreement and are now working on finalizing contract terms.

It’s a deal in motion, as previously reported by AS, that could be announced at the end of a unique season marked by the Club World Cup – but once it’s sealed, it could raise significant questions about the current structure of Madrid’s defense.

The first is: if Alexander-Arnold signs, when would he actually arrive? In a normal year, that would be a straightforward answer – at the end of the season. But this campaign is different, with the Club World Cup altering the usual transfer rules. FIFA has granted national federations (such as the Spanish FA and its counterparts) the authority to open an exceptional transfer window from June 1 to 10, exclusively for clubs participating in the tournament.

Club World Cup for Trent?

Madrid will be part of the tournament in the United States – Liverpool will not. Chelsea and Manchester City earned England’s two available spots through their Champions League wins. Already knocked out of both the Champions League and the FA Cup, Liverpool now only have the Premier League left, where they lead by 12 points with nine games remaining. The English league wraps up on May 25.

That means Carlo Ancelotti’s side could have Alexander-Arnold available from the start of the Club World Cup, but they would need to negotiate with Liverpool to release him before June 30. FIFA, hoping to boost the tournament’s visibility by featuring as many stars as possible, will open a second registration window mid-competition – from June 27 to July 3 – for players whose contracts officially expire on June 30.

How Trent would fit in to the Real Madrid team

Alexander-Arnold’s arrival would also disrupt the current pecking order on the right flank, where roles for Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez had seemed set – until a spate of injuries forced the likes of Fede Valverde and Marco Asensio to step in. It remains to be seen whether Carvajal, now 33, will maintain his starting role while gradually ceding ground to the Englishman, or whether Ancelotti will manage a rotation similar to what he’s done on the left with Fran García and Ferland Mendy. So far this season, García has played 2,009 minutes and Mendy 2,233 – a much narrower gap than last season’s 1,145-minute advantage in favor of the Frenchman.

Alexander-Arnold’s defensive weaknesses – highlighted by some notable errors in recent months – may play in Carvajal’s favor. In fact, among right-backs, the Liverpool player’s most impressive stats this Premier League season have come in the attacking third. According to BeSoccer Pro, he leads all right-backs in ball recoveries in the final third, and also stands out in shots, crosses, and passes into the box.

Then there’s the case of Lucas Vázquez. The Galician, also 33, has cemented his place as a converted full-back after transitioning from winger – but in recent months, despite Carvajal’s injury, Valverde stepped in and claimed the starting spot in key matches. Those two factors – Alexander-Arnold’s potential arrival and Valverde’s versatility – add further uncertainty to Vázquez’s future, especially since his contract expires at the end of the season.

Alexander-Arnold’s move to Madrid looks increasingly likely – but there are still plenty of unknowns ahead.