Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first season at Real Madrid is being dragged into fresh transfer noise, with reports claiming Manchester City have spoken to intermediaries about a potential summer move.
No bid has been lodged and there is no formal approach at this stage, but the story is gaining traction because of two things: City’s continuing squad refresh and Trent’s stop-start debut campaign in Spain.
How Trent ended up at the Bernabéu
Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool in 2025 after running down his contract and joined Real Madrid ahead of the Club World Cup. UK reports last year said Madrid agreed a deal worth around £10m to bring him in early rather than wait for the free transfer to complete later.
The move was always going to be emotional. Trent departed his boyhood club as a Champions League and Premier League winner — but his decision split opinion among Liverpool supporters, and his return to Anfield later in the year drew a hostile reception.
A debut season disrupted by fitness and rhythm
On the pitch, Trent hasn’t had the clean, uninterrupted run he would have wanted. Injuries and competition for minutes have limited his consistency, and the numbers show it.
In La Liga this season, he has made 8 appearances and 5 starts, registering 1 assist. That’s not a disaster for a newcomer, but it is a quieter output than fans associate with the elite creator he became at Liverpool — and it leaves plenty of room for speculation when transfer windows approach.
Why City might be interested
From City’s perspective, the logic is easy to understand. Guardiola’s teams value full-backs who can:
- step into midfield,
- play progressive passes under pressure,
- and create overloads from deep areas.
Trent’s range of passing and ability to dictate tempo fits that profile — especially if City believe they can maximise him in a system that protects transitions and emphasises controlled possession.
City have also shown they’re willing to be aggressive in the market this month, adding Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guéhi as part of a wider push to stabilise their season.
What Real Madrid will be thinking
For Real Madrid, this is the key point: Trent is under a long-term contract, so any deal would require serious money — and Madrid don’t have to sell.
Still, the club will likely weigh three factors as the season progresses:
- Availability — can he stay fit enough to build momentum?
- Role clarity — is he being used in a way that maximises his strengths?
- Squad planning — whether they view him as a long-term starter, a tactical option, or a sellable asset if the offer is too good to ignore.
Right now, this story sits firmly in the “monitoring and contact” stage rather than “advanced talks.” But if City truly want a high-level right-back for 2026/27, rumours like this won’t go away.
