Chelsea have been linked with a surprise move for the Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold. The English full-back joined Real Madrid as a free agent at the start of the season, but his performances have not been up to the mark. He has been criticised for his inconsistent performances, and Chelsea are looking to bring him back to the Premier League.
There's clearly a few who give him grief for moving onto bigger and better things. You don't leave Liverpool to join many other clubs because they're obviously one of the biggest clubs in the world, but when you get the chance to go to Real Madrid, you're almost obliged to try your trade there and see if you can do it in a different country at another fantastic club.
A mural of Trent Alexander-Arnold has been vandalised as the Real Madrid right-back prepares to face former club Liverpool on Tuesday. Some fans booed the Liverpool academy product in May after he announced he would leave his hometown club when his contract expired in June. The 27-year-old joined Real Madrid, who were then handed an away game with Liverpool in the league phase of this season's Champions League. The mural of the England defender was unveiled near Anfield after Liverpool became European champions in 2019, and was also vandalised earlier this year, with the word 'Rat' daubed on it.
The England international would have exited on a free transfer but for Real paying an 8.5m fee to cancel his Liverpool contract early and include him in their squad for the Club World Cup. The 27-year-old was part of a Real delegation that laid floral tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva outside Anfield on Monday night. The head coach and former Liverpool midfielder Alonso, the defender Dean Huijsen and Real's director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueno, were also present.
I can understand it from being in Trent's shoes. I can understand it. I get it. His best mate plays there. Maybe he wants to challenge himself. He's won everything at Liverpool, so there's a part of me that really understands it.
England will host Andorra and travel to Serbia in September as they seek to book their place at the 2026 World Cup, and they will play those matches without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jack Grealish.
"He could have provided several assists already in the tournament. In training, his striking is unbelievable, his free-kicks and corners are on another level. I don't think I've seen anyone with his quality in striking and crossing."
