Liverpool may be marching toward the Premier League title but there are looming contract concerns around the status of Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. All three are due to expire at the end of the 2025 season, and while it hasn’t impacted Liverpool’s play on the pitch, there could be major changes coming to the side in the future. Arne Slot confirmed that the club is in contact with the trio about their contracts but as long as they’re performing on the pitch, he’s happy. While Salah’s future has been the biggest transfer rumor at Anfield after the links to Saudi Arabia, Alexander-Arnold is also one to watch with links to Real Madrid. Los Blancos love securing free transfers, just like they did with Kylian Mbappe over the summer. So, what if Alexander-Arnold is next?
It’s no secret that Real Madrid has been interested in the English right back and with Dani Carvajal not getting any younger and coming off of an ACL tear, there’s no guarantee that the Spanish star will be back to his best in 2025. Even if he is, for a club like Real Madrid, it’s critical to have multiple top-level options at as many positions as possible and it doesn’t get much better than netting a player like Alexander-Arnold.
Only 26, Alexander Arnold has five assists in 22 appearances in all competitions this season following up six consecutive seasons of double-digit goal contributions in all competitions. Since breaking into the squad, he has established himself as one of the best chance creators in the world and playing behind Salah, he knows a thing or two about setting up world-class options with opportunities to score.
Imagining a Real Madrid attack where Vinicius Junior and Mbappe are fed by Alexander-Arnold on the break is a devastating proposition. While it does hurt the Reds if he departs at the end of the season, in 21-year-old Conor Bradley, their right back of the future is in place already but Alexander-Arnold is also a generational talent. Losing him and Salah in the same summer could be hard to bounce back from but if there’s a situation where only one of the trio departs, that’s a manageable scenario.
For Madrid, in a year where creators like Luka Modric could retire at any time, it’s critical to ensure that their chance creation won’t take a hit. Always a club to stay ahead of the curve, adding players like this before their prime is what Los Blancos do to stay at the top of the global game.
It’ll be important for Alexander-Arnold to maintain focus amid a title challenge but as long as he’s able to do that, even if this is his last season at Anfield, it can be a chance to give Liverpool faithful a sendoff to remember.
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