Real Madrid only want Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer

Real Madrid are ready to abandon a January pursuit of Trent Alexander-Arnold and wait to see if the Liverpool full-back will be available on a free transfer in the summer.

Alexander-Arnold is hugely admired at Santiago Bernabéu and they are looking at right-back options after Dani Carvajal suffered a serious knee injury in November, ruling him out long-term.

But while the England international has just seven months left on his Anfield contract and market value will reduce as his deal nears expiry, it is understood the preference of the Spanish champions is for a Bosman transfer should they go for the 26-year-old.

With Arne Slot’s team involved in the Premier League title race, it is expected to be extremely difficult to land Alexander-Arnold in the mid-season window even, regardless of his contract situation.

Liverpool would still be able to command a huge fee for a player who has started all but one league game this season for Slot. In general, clubs expect difficulties in landing targets from those chasing titles or Champions League football this season.

Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all out of contract in the summer and without an agreement in place to extend, they can talk to other clubs about a pre-contract for the 2025-26 campaign from January onwards.

Salah has spoken publicly about his situation, saying he is “more out than in”, while Alexander-Arnold has been tight-lipped on his future, having signed his last extension in 2021.

Alexander-Arnold’s close friend, Jude Bellingham, plays at Real Madrid and they recently needed to look at their right-back situation as Carvajal suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, a ruptured external collateral ligament and a ruptured popliteus tendon in his right leg.

Real have also been looking at centre-backs although David Alaba is coming back from his own long-term knee injury.