Liverpool is not willing to let Trent Alexander-Arnold join Real Madrid in time for the start of the Club World Cup, unless it receives a fee from the Spanish club.
It was always expected that Liverpool would demand a fee to allow Alexander-Arnold out of his Reds contract a month early, but Madrid is yet to reach out to the Anfield club with an offer.
Liverpool is adamant that it will not allow Alexander-Arnold to leave the club before the end of June unless Madrid coughs up some money, and it has been reported that the Reds would accept $1.1 million.
However, with just over two weeks to go until the English and Spanish transfer windows open in exceptional circumstances, there has been no contact between the two clubs over a fee.
Allowing Alexander-Arnold to leave at the beginning of June would save Liverpool close to $1 million in wages, even if Madrid refuses to stump up a fee, but the Reds could stand firm as a point of principle.
Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool contract is due to expire on June 30, and ordinarily his move to Madrid would be a formality, but this summer’s inaugural 32-team Club World Cup complicates matters slightly.
The Club World Cup begins in the middle of June, so Madrid is understandably keen to bring the deal forward so that Alexander-Arnold is with the squad in time for the start of the tournament in the United States.
FIFA announced last year that that its member associations which have clubs competing in the Club World Cup would have the option to open an exceptional registration window from June 1 to June 10.
It has since been confirmed that the Premier League and La Liga have agreed to take up that option, which means that, if Madrid and Liverpool can reach an agreement, Alexander-Arnold will be able to join the Spanish club in time for the start of the Club World Cup.
Learn more
If an agreement is not reached, Alexander-Arnold will be free to join Madrid from July 1, at which point Los Blancos could add him to its squad for the knockout stage of the competition.
If Madrid wins its group, which includes Al-Hilal, Pachuca, and Red Bull Salzburg, it will play its first knockout game on July 1, which Alexander-Arnold would theoretically be eligible to play in.
Meanwhile, Liverpool appears to making progress in its pursuit of a replacement for Alexander-Arnold, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong expected to arrive at Anfield.
Frimpong has a $39 million release clause in his contract at Leverkusen and he is keen to move to the Premier League, while Liverpool believes he would represent a good-value signing.
A deal is expected to be concluded soon after the conclusion of the Bundesliga season this weekend.
