Liverpool have made a Real Madrid star a transfer ‘target’ as Trent Alexander-Arnold looks set to join the Spanish giants this summer.
Alexander-Arnold, 26, is reportedly close to joining the 15-time European champions at the end of the season on a five-year deal, which would leave a gap in Liverpool’s defence ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
However, a shock report has emerged which claims that the Premier League champions-elect are interested in signing a Real Madrid player worth around £83m, according to Defensa Central.
Due to several long-term injuries sustained by the likes of Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and David Alaba this term, Carlo Ancelotti has been forced to play several players such as Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni in defence despite them being midfielders by trade.
However, a potential future star has also emerged despite him previously not playing in the senior side until this season.
Raul Asencio made his La Liga debut for Real Madrid against Osasuna on November 9 and has since become a stalwart at the heart of Los Blancos’ defence alongside Antonio Rudiger.
On Wednesday, The Athletic reported that Asencio, 22, is set to renew his contract at Madrid, which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2029.
A new release clause of £83.7m (€100m) is set to be included in the deal, double the previous amount.
Football 365 reports that Madrid president Florentino Perez does not want the player to join another elite team, despite Liverpool’s interest.
Raul Asencio has impressed this season (Credit:Getty)
Ancelotti, 65, heaped praise on his defender before the 22-year-old filled in at right-back during Madrid’s 2-1 defeat against Real Betis on March 1.
“He has the quality to play there [right-back], he’s a different kind of right-back to Lucas and Valverde,” said Ancelotti before the game.
“If you have a winger out there like Rodrygo, you don’t need a fullback who pushes forward so much. He’s fantastic defensively.”
“He is doing very well,” Ancelotti explained in February.
“Raul was a surprise to everyone, really. He is a surprise to me too.”
Ligue 1 champions Paris-Saint Germain are also supposedly interested in the centre-back.
Any potential developments regarding a transfer will likely be influenced by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, whose contract is set to expire this summer.
