Gary Neville and Ian Wright have suggested that Trent Alexander-Arnold might find it challenging to secure regular football at Real Madrid. It’s a similar argument that was had with Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright.
The Liverpool right-back is rumored to be joining the Spanish titans when his contract expires this summer. Alexander-Arnold, 26, has been instrumental during a golden era for Liverpool, clinching numerous trophies with his childhood club, including the Premier League and Champions League.
Despite being on track to claim his second league title, the contract situation has cast a shadow over Alexander-Arnold, who was the target of a bid from Real Madrid in January. While a switch to Madrid may entice the defender, both Neville and Wright believe he will need to battle for his spot in the squad, even if he becomes the newest Galactico.
“I said that I thought he [ Trent Alexander-Arnold ] had to get more serious about his defending – I’ve said that constantly – or else it will cause him problems,” Neville stated on the Stick to Football podcast. “I think it will cause him a problem at Real Madrid because they have Federico Valverde, who is playing right-back currently, and Dani Carvajal when he’s back – he’s going to have some serious competition. They are brilliant players, and he’s going to find it tough there.
“I think Carvajal, from a balance of going forward and back – the problem is that he’s 32 and has had a bad injury – but for me, Carvajal is a better full-back than Trent because of what he gives to the team. It’s unbelievable what Valverde is doing for them at the moment, so he’s going to have competition when he goes.
“Coming back to Trent, I said he needs to get more serious about his defending, and that was proven by the fact he couldn’t get in the England team for many years. And he gets subbed for Liverpool a lot. I’ve never known a right-back get subbed so many times in important periods of matches.”
(Image: YouTube/@TheOverlap)
Despite Alexander-Arnold’s aspirations to win the Ballon d’Or and make history as the first full-back to claim the prize, Wright shared Neville’s sentiment regarding the player’s challenge of securing a position at Real Madrid due to defensive issues: “What we’ll learn very quickly with Trent at Real Madrid when he gets there is that he will realize the levels. If the defending is something that [needs addressing] – we all know it’s one of his weakest points – he won’t play there.”
Neville added: “If you look at Valverde and his passing range, Carvajal and his defending, you don’t need to have a player who is there who is doing great stuff going forward. If he goes there with just his offensive power, are they going to play him right-back for him to come inside like he does?
“If it doesn’t work out for him in respect of his offensive style, there’s so many great players there – that’s what he’s got to contend with.”
(Image: YouTube/@TheOverlap)
Regardless of the concerns, Neville articulated why Alexander-Arnold might consider such a transfer. Reflecting on David Beckham’s departure from Manchester United to embark on a new journey at Santiago Bernabeu, he relates this potential move to the broader experiences it can bring.
“[Alexander-Arnold] does have his challenges with the way he plays, but it’s right that Liverpool fans can feel let down about him leaving,” Neville shared. “As a fan, he’s a local kid, and fans have a right to feel that way.
“But I also put my David Beckham hat on, thinking about his career at Real Madrid and then Milan…” Neville continued, highlighting the value in embracing new horizons beyond Old Trafford.
“He wouldn’t have had that if he stayed at United, so part of me thinks that since I’ve stopped playing football, I think differently about it. The experience of going to Real Madrid and playing there is incredible for him.”
