‘Fight’—Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Stance on Real Madrid Exit Amid Wild Transfer Rumors

Trent Alexander-Arnold reportedly intends to stay and fight for his place at Real Madrid, amid his second-season struggles and rumors of a return to England.

The right back’s signing was a coup for the club when he arrived from boyhood club Liverpool—the place where he won it all—in the summer of 2025.

So keen were Madrid for Alexander-Arnold to get started they ended up paying Liverpool a fee of around €10 million ($11.25 million) to make sure their new player could sign ahead of his contract’s official expiry date and take part in the Club World Cup.

Real Madrid talked up the best right back in the world, while Alexander-Arnold himself revealed his ambitions to win the Ballon d’Or.

However, after a trophyless and underwhelming first season in the Spanish capital, Alexander-Arnold’s fortunes have nosedived.

Unable to reproduce his sweeping, pinpoint best in 2025–26 amid injury issues and the turbulence around him, things have only got worse this season under new manager José Mourinho.

Third-Choice Right Back

Trent Alexander-Arnold and José Mourinho. — Alexander-Arnold and José Mourinho are not a natural fit. | Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Summer signing Denzel Dumfries has been Mourinho’s preferred choice for much of 2026–27 so far, with Alexander-Arnold starting just four times in all competitions so far.

He was not trusted in the key away games to Real Betis and Atlético Madrid—with Madrid losing both—and has not started any of the last three games, with natural midfielder Federico Valverde selected ahead of him for the 4–1 win over Sevilla.

Speaking after that match, Mourinho justified his pick by telling reporters: “It’s not easy for a coach to leave two quality right backs on the bench, but I thought it would be very useful to have a right back with legs and quality to play behind Endrick.”

Damning words for Alexander-Arnold, who, for all his attacking quality, continues to be plagued by the narrative that he is simply not an elite-level defender. It is clear that Mourinho, one of soccer’s arch pragmatists, is not the ideal coach for a player of Alexander-Arnold’s very particular skillset.

Alexander-Arnold Reportedly Rules on Premier League Return

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham. — Alexander-Arnold has not been able to replicate Jude Bellingham’s success. | Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images

Amid the struggles, there have been rumors of Alexander-Arnold moving back to England in the near future—including a sensational Liverpool return. However, it is seemingly not something the player himself is thinking about.

The Athletic report that a source close to Alexander-Arnold has dismissed the notion that the right back is considering an exit. It is said that he “intends to fight for his place at Madrid.”

While Alexander-Arnold went to Madrid hoping to emulate England teammate Jude Bellingham’s success, it has—so far—not panned out that way. In his plight, there are echoes of another former Liverpool star Michael Owen, who left Merseyside for Madrid back in 2004 with the hopes of taking his career stratospheric.

The 2001 Ballon d’Or winner was not a total flop, but lasted just a season at the Bernabéu, largely unable to dislodge club legends Ronaldo and Raúl in attack, with his brief Spanish sojourn a lesson in how unforgiving Real Madrid can be.

Alexander-Arnold has already outlasted Owen, but how exactly he resurrects his Madrid dream under Mourinho remains to be seen.

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