Real Madrid increasingly confident of signing Trent Alexander-Arnold

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Trent Alexander-Arnold appears to have decided that his future lies away from Anfield - Getty Images/Liverpool FC

Real Madrid are increasingly confident of securing a deal to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold as a free agent at the end of this season.

Although sources insist that no formal agreement has been reached one is being worked on for the Liverpool vice-captain.

Real stepped up their interest in Alexander-Arnold by making an approach to sign him in the January transfer window, indicating they would pay £20 million.

This was immediately rejected by Liverpool who refused to enter into negotiations and made it clear they had no desire to sell the right-back even though he can eventually leave without any fee being paid as his contract runs out on June 30.

Liverpool have been attempting to persuade Alexander-Arnold to sign a new deal at his boyhood club, having made his debut in 2016, aged 18, after coming through the academy, but despite lengthy talks there has been no agreement. As the clock ticks, hopes of one are naturally dwindling.

Liverpool also dismissed reports in Spain that he had already told them of his desire to join Real but news of the approach was taken as the first sign that the European champions were confident they would get their man and had received encouragement that he was interested.

Alexander-Arnold could have signed a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club since the start of 2025. But it is understood he has not done that, as yet, and Liverpool have not been informed of any agreement being reached. Any club signing Alexander-Arnold, who is recovering from an ankle injury which ruled him out of the recent England squad, must inform Liverpool once a deal is formally agreed.

Real have been monitoring Alexander-Arnold for two years and regard him as the long-term successor to right-back Dani Carvajal who is now 33 and suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury last October.

Alexander-Arnold is not the only Liverpool star out-of-contract at the end of this campaign with the futures of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah also unclear.

Unlike the latter two, who are in their thirties, Alexander-Arnold is just 26 and arguably coming into his prime and certainly would attract a higher fee if he was under a longer contract. Sources have suggested that could have been as high as £100 million.

Liverpool are adamant that they cannot pay the same wages as clubs such as Real, who can also offer Alexander-Arnold more in terms of a signing-on deal if a transfer fee is not paid.

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