Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold 'preference' after making January transfer decision

Real Madrid chiefs have reportedly decided against making a move for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in January - as they instead believe they can wait until the summer and sign the right-back for nothing.

The defender has entered the final year of his deal at Anfield and will be permitted to talk with foreign clubs over a potential pre-contract agreement in less than a month. Alongside fellow Reds stalwarts Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, the homegrown star will be allowed to depart as a free agent at the end of the current campaign unless he signs an extension.

It remains to be seen whether the Merseysiders will instead be able to strike a deal which would see their vice-captain commit his long-term future to the club. According to The Athletic, Alexander-Arnold remains undecided over whether he will extend his stay with his boyhood side.

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Now, it has been claimed that Madrid deal-makers have a "preference" of pursuing a Bosman-style transfer in the summer instead of looking purchase the right-back in the January transfer window. That is according to the Telegraph, who report that it would be "extremely difficult" for Los Blancos to prise Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool's grasps this winter.

Speculation that the reigning European champions will target the Reds fan favorite has abounded throughout the current campaign. However, the player himself has largely refused to engage in public discussions over his future, saying back in October: "Look, I have been at the club 20 years now.

"I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public. This one won’t be either. I have always said I want to captain the club. That is an aim of mine and a goal of mine, whether that happens is out of my hands, to be honest. I want to be a Liverpool player this season (as a minimum) is what I will say."

Since making his debut in the 2016-17 season, the England international has made 326 appearances for the Reds - winning every major honor on offer in the process. During a conversation with Liverpool's official website recently, the full-back spoke with pride about representing his hometown club with distinction since graduating from the academy.

He admitted: "I never thought I’d play this many games. I never thought I’d win as many trophies or achieve the things that I’ve done. I’m living my dream every single day and I have done from the minute I started kicking a ball until now, to be honest."

Revealing who his football heroes were growing up, he also named former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard as his ultimate icon, saying that he used to imitate the Anfield legend while practising as a youngster. He said: "Obviously I didn’t see it as practising or trying to get better.

"I just saw it as playing a game with my brothers. But, you put the hours in, you get better. I was Gerrard, for sure, there was no-one else for me. I loved [Fernando] Torres, Luis Garcia, [Luis] Suarez, but Gerrard was the one for me."