Trent Alexander-Arnold will have to wear a more conventional shirt number if his move to Real Madrid goes through in the summer, with rules prohibiting him from making his preferred choice.
On Tuesday, a number of reports dropped highlighting that Alexander-Arnold had agreed a deal with Real Madrid to join in the summer, with contract details of his €15m-a-year salary also revealed.
But while the 26-year-old, who ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best right-backs in the world right now, looks set to complete his dream move to the Bernabeu and chase his dream of personal accolades such as the Ballon d’Or, he’ll have to do so looking slightly different.
Trent Alexander-Arnold forced into number change at Real Madrid
Since making his debut for the Liverpool first team in 2016, Alexander-Arnold has always worn the No.66 shirt while playing for the Reds. It’s served him well across his 349 appearances for the club, too, where he’s won everything possible in English football.
If his move to Real Madrid goes through, though, the right-back will have to select a different number to wear on his back.
La Liga rules stipulate that clubs can only submit their 25-man first team squad from numbers one to 25, meaning Alexander-Arnold’s No.66 falls well outside of that range. Reserve team players can wear squad numbers from 26 to 50, so even then Alexander-Arnold’s iconic number isn’t allowed.
The rules become even stricter when considering that numbers one, 13 and 25 are left vacant for goalkeepers.
If Trent Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid right now, then he would only be able to choose from numbers 12 and 24, highlighting just how little choice he might have when moving to the Spanish capital in the summer.
With Raul Asencio, who currently has 35 on his back after starting the campaign in the reserve side, also set to take a first team squad number after establishing himself in Carlo Ancelotti’s side, competition for numbers, let alone places, is becoming fierce. That’s before factoring in any departures at the Bernabeu, however.
Regardless, it still seems likely that Alexander-Arnold will wear a completely new shirt number he has never had before.
He has played in numbers two, four, seven, eight and 10 for England, but all of those options are currently occupied by Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Vinicius Jr, Fede Valverde and Luka Modric – players who all look like staying for at least another season.
