Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t expected to return from injury and play for Liverpool again until the middle of April, with an ‘agreement’ in place to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this Summer.
The defender sustained an ankle injury in the Reds’ Champion’s League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month. Alexander-Arnold was replaced after 73 minutes after twisting his foot and missed the EFL Cup Final defeat to Newcastle on March 16 as a result.
The right-back isn’t expected to return until the middle of April, with the home game against West Ham on April 13 or the trip to relegation candidates Leicester City on April 20. That would leave Alexander-Arnold with six or seven Premier League games in his farewell tour after reportedly agreeing a $16 million-a-year deal with Real to join on a free transfer at the end of this season.
Liverpool had hoped to keep the academy product and had discussions over a new deal, but an agreement wasn’t reached, and Real has been in the picture for several months tracking Alexander-Arnold. According to Sky, Alexander-Arnold will earn $16.1m per season in the Spanish capital, which is $4.3m more than his current salary at Anfield. Alexander-Arnold will also command a sizeable signing bonus from Los Blancos.
He will link up with England teammate Jude Bellingham and become the next big name in Real’s re-build for the extended future, with Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe, and Bellingham as its focal points in midfield and attack. Alexander-Arnold’s exit will leave manager Arne Slot with a massive headache in the Summer, with Liverpool expected to undergo a significant re-build.
The defender isn’t the only big name out of contract at Anfield this Summer. Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are set to become free agents if agreements cannot be reached. Captain Van Dijk revealed last week that there was no change in his contract stalemate despite reports suggesting an announcement was nearing.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Honestly, no,” Van Dijk said. “There is no change at all, there is no update at all, there is no news for the outside world. So, I have nothing to share. “[I understand the curiosity], but there is nothing at all; it is all untrue.”
However, Liverpool remains optimistic about reaching agreements with Van Dijk and Salah despite the latter publicly stating that as it stands, it’ll be his last season in Merseyside. “I was coming to the game, I said look, it could be the last time [coming to Old Trafford],” Salah said after Liverpool’s game with rivals Manchester United.
“Nobody talked to me yet about contracts, so I just play my last season, and we’ll see at the end of the season. But so far, yeah, my last game here with Liverpool.”
