Trent Alexander-Arnold’s January ‘Transfer Decision’ Could Prove a Costly Career Move

Despite increasing speculation of a potential Premier League return in January, Trent Alexander-Arnold is reportedly “only focused on Real Madrid” amid a trying time at the Bernabéu.

Nothing has gone right for Alexander-Arnold since he bid farewell to Liverpool after the 2024–25 season. The England international’s debut campaign in a white shirt was marred by several long-term injuries and now he can hardly get on the pitch under new boss José Mourinho.

Alexander-Arnold has started just four matches in 2026–27, and has been an unused substitute in six of Real Madrid’s 13 matches across all competitions this season. Links to Liverpool and Chelsea have emerged, giving the fullback two enticing escape routes back to the English top flight.

But according to MARCA, Alexander-Arnold’s priority remains Los Blancos. The 28-year-old “isn’t considering” a winter transfer as of now, but the situation could change over the next two months if things deteriorate further at the Bernabéu.

There’s really only so much time a player of Alexander-Arnold’s skill and stature can spend sitting on the bench. Dreams of lifting silverware with Real Madrid can only keep him in the Spanish capital for so long before he must do what’s best for his career and start a new chapter elsewhere, before he becomes just another forgotten name.

Alexander-Arnold Is Now Mourinho’s Third Choice

Trent Alexander-Arnold is wasting away on Real Madrid’s bench. | Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press/Getty Images

Alexander-Arnold hoped he would be the undisputed starter this season at Real Madrid now that he is injury-free. But the club signed Denzel Dumfries to replace the departed Dani Carvajal, and Mourinho pegged the Dutchman as his preferred starter on the right flank.

Despite an impressive preseason, Alexander-Arnold soon found himself second-fiddle to a more defensively sound fullback, even when the team was in desperate need of a creative spark. Mourinho did his best to rotate the two players at the start of the campaign, but minutes soon started rapidly decreasing for Alexander-Arnold.

Things got even more dire for the former Liverpool star when Federico Valverde entered the fold. The natural midfielder was moved to right back against Villarreal and has now grabbed hold of the position he previously admitted he didn’t want to play.

There’s no denying Real Madrid have looked their best under Mourinho with Valverde in defense. The Uruguayan started the team’s last three matches on the right flank, and the 15-time European champions won all three—including El Clásico—by an aggregate score of 10–3.

Suddenly, Alexander-Arnold cannot even get backup minutes. In the team’s last four matches, he logged just a single minute.

Mourinho Sounds Off on Alexander-Arnold Exit Rumors

José Mourinho believes he can keep all three right backs happy. | Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto/Getty Images

With every passing game Alexander-Arnold’s skills go wasted, more transfer speculation emerges. A move back to the Premier League would make sense for the Englishman, especially if he continues to be overlooked in the remaining months of 2026.

Still, Mourinho does not believe a January exit is coming for Alexander-Arnold or Dumfries despite Valverde taking hold of the right flank.

“I don’t like creating bad feelings in my players; I like creating good ones,” he said in his pregame press conference on Saturday regarding Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries’s recent demotions. “When you build a squad based on two players per position and then make a third play, it’s something I don’t like, that hurts me, and that makes me sad.

“But I have had good acceptance from Trent and Dumfries when we explained to them that it was a decision for the team and not against the players ... I don’t think they will be asking for any kind of exit. The difficulty of the season, with so many matches and those gifts of playing three matches in six days, the accumulation of cards, the accumulation of fatigue, some injuries ... In the end, everyone will play.”

Mourinho went on to confirm Alexander-Arnold or Dumfries will start in Sunday’s match against Racing Santander while Valverde recovers from an injury scare he suffered against Barcelona.

Add us as a preferred source on Google