Trent Alexander-Arnold has reportedly agreed to join Real Madrid this summer upon the expiry of his Liverpool contract.
Alexander-Arnold, 26, has been the subject of intense speculation for much of this season, with the defender – alongside Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah – out of contract at the end of the campaign.
Liverpool have remained in negotiations with all three stars, but no breakthrough has been made as the months tick by, and the trio were able to speak to overseas clubs about joining on a free transfer from January.
Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with Real throughout the saga over his future and the Spanish giants had a £20million bid rejected for the 26-year-old in January.
However, according to talkSPORT, in bombshell news that is a major blow for Arne Slot’s side, Alexander-Arnold has now decided his future lays with Real.
The report claims that the defender has agreed personal terms on a five-year contract at the Bernabeu, with wages of more than £220,000-per-week.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has reportedly agreed to join Real Madrid from Liverpool this summer
Alexander-Arnold is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to sign a new deal
The news comes as a major blow for Arne Slot, who has been desperate to keep the defender
The report adds that Alexander-Arnold has been in discussions with Carlo Ancelotti’s side since January, and that Liverpool have been kept in the loop with regards to the ongoing negotiations.
In fact, given the increasing speculation, Betfair suspended betting on Alexander-Arnold joining Real this summer following a flurry of bets on Tuesday morning.
The defender had been as short as 2/7 to move to Los Blancos before the measure was taken.
A move on a free transfer follows Real’s strategy in recent windows after David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe all moved to the Bernabeu at the end of their contracts.
Alexander-Arnold will similarly link up with fellow Englishman Jude Bellingham in Spain, with the midfielder known to be a close friend of the Liverpool star.
Meanwhile, news of Alexander-Arnold’s potential departure is a major blow to the Reds given he is not only a boyhood fan of the club, but he is also regarded as one of the best rights backs in the world.
After joining their academy at the age of six, the defender made his debut as an 18-year-old in an EFL Cup tie against Tottenham in 2018.
He has since gone onto rack up 349 appearances and has been a cornerstone in Liverpool’s immense success over recent years.
Alexander-Arnold has played 349 times for the club and has been crucial to their success
The defender has won eight trophies, including the Champions League back in 2019 (above)
A move to Real will see Alexander-Arnold link up with Jude Bellingham, who is a close friend
Across his tenure at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold has scored 22 goals and added 87 assists.
He has won eight trophies with his boyhood club – including the Premier League and Champions League – while he has also racked up 33 caps for England.
The 26-year-old has not spoken much about his Liverpool future – in comparison to Salah and Van Dijk’s regular public comments – but back in September, he hinted that he wanted to create a legacy with the Reds.
‘I have always said I want to captain the club,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘That is a goal of mine, whether that happens is out of my hands.’
When pressed on what will determine his future, Alexander-Arnold added: ‘The most important thing is always trophies. I want to win trophies.
‘We were close to the title last season and we got a cup. The [quadruple] was on for a while I suppose.
‘This season we are looking really good, it is still early days, but we need a lot of consistency.
‘It will be difficult but we are looking to win as many trophies as we can.’
Alexander-Arnold joined his boyhood club aged six and has progressed through the ranks
Alexander-Arnold’s arrival would be a major boost to Spanish giants Real Madrid this summer
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have signed several top quality talents on a free transfers in recent years
Alexander-Arnold has enjoyed another impressive campaign for Liverpool in 2024-25, playing 39 times as Slot’s side close in on the Premier League title.
The Reds are 12 points clear of Arsenal with nine games left to play and the 26-year-old will hope to end his time at Anfield on the perfect note.
However, the defender was forced off with an ankle injury during Liverpool’s defeat by PSG in the Champions League last-16 earlier this month and subsequently missed the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle.
It is unclear when he will return to full fitness, but Liverpool are next in action a week on Wednesday when they host Everton.