Alexander-Arnold struggling at Madrid, Liverpool return mooted

Trent Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid is turning into a cautionary tale about dream transfers that don't go to plan. The England international, who joined Los Blancos 18 months ago, has started just 18 of 50 LaLiga matches and now finds himself third choice at right-back.

According to ESPN, Alexander-Arnold's situation has deteriorated further since José Mourinho's appointment as head coach in July. The Portuguese manager has preferred Federico Valverde and summer signing Denzel Dumfries in the position, with the Englishman starting only five of 16 games across all competitions this season.

His sole goal contribution this term came in an assist against bottom side Málaga, and he's featured just once in the Champions League. When Valverde starred at right-back in Madrid's 3-0 win over Valencia, Spanish outlet Marca awarded him 9/10 and called him "the best right back in the world."

Mourinho's tactical shift

Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, Mourinho explained his selection policy: "I felt we needed to change our midfield and play Fede in that position. It was a decision made for the team, not based on individual players. Trent and Dumfries accepted my explanations well."

The situation marks a stark contrast to Alexander-Arnold's bold ambitions when he declared two years ago that he wanted to become the first full-back to win the Ballon d'Or. Madrid paid Liverpool €12 million to bring him in early for the Club World Cup ahead of his contract expiring, underlining their initial enthusiasm for the signing.

Injuries and significant managerial changes at the Bernabéu have complicated his time in Spain, but the fundamental issue appears to be tactical. Alexander-Arnold's attacking instincts don't seem to align with Mourinho's more conservative footballing philosophy.

Liverpool's right-back problems

The speculation about a potential Anfield return stems partly from Liverpool's ongoing struggles in that position. Conor Bradley has been sidelined since January with a serious knee injury, while Jérémie Frimpong has struggled for form and fitness since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in summer 2025.

Barcelona loanee Ronald Araújo has impressed defensively but, as a natural centre-back, doesn't offer the attacking dimension Alexander-Arnold provided. Under Andoni Iraola, Liverpool have created just 17 big chances in the league this season – only Hull and Coventry have managed fewer.

Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool as the Premier League's all-time assist leader among defenders with 64 in 259 appearances, redefining the right-back role under Jürgen Klopp. ESPN suggests his creativity could unlock Alexander Isak and solve the Reds' chance-creation issues that saw them score only 63 league goals last season – their lowest since 2015-16.

What it means for Real Madrid

This is a rare transfer misstep for Madrid, where a marquee signing has completely failed to establish himself. Valverde's excellence at right-back gives Mourinho a strong option, but losing Alexander-Arnold for minimal return would still represent poor business on a player they were desperate to sign. The situation also highlights the risks of Mourinho's pragmatic approach potentially stifling technically gifted players.

For now, this remains speculation rather than concrete transfer talk, but Alexander-Arnold's future in the Spanish capital looks increasingly uncertain. With Euro 2028 on the horizon and Thomas Tuchel building his England squad, the 28-year-old faces a critical period. Whether Madrid can turn this around or whether a return to England beckons will become clearer over the coming months. The report itself feels speculative – there's no indication of active negotiations – but the underlying struggles are very real.

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