Real Madrid will step up their interest in Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to The Telegraph. The Reds face a battle to keep the academy graduate with his contract set to expire in the summer.

The report claims that Los Blancos will continue their pursuit of the England international and their efforts will intensify in a bid to land the 26-year-old on a free transfer in the summer.

Alexander-Arnold is said to be viewed as the successor to Dani Carvajal, with the Spain international turning 33 last month.

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Liverpool turned down an approach from the La Liga champions at the end of December, in a move which may have been the final opportunity for Arne Slot's side to recoup fee for the defender.

The Telegraph adds that the Madrid club have established an 'all or nothing' policy when it comes to their primary targets, with Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe used as examples.

It has been suggested that due to the absence of a fee, with Madrid allowed to enter pre-contract negotiations with Alexander-Arnold since the turn of the year, that the salary, signing-on bonuses and the add-ons will be 'weighted' towards the player.

Madrid signings, sources have told the outlet, could amount between £8million and £10million net-a-season - said to be in the region of a £400,000-per-week package.

Speaking earlier this month, Slot discussed the contract situation surrounding Alexander-Arnold and his two Liverpool teammates Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman admitted that the future of the trio will have a major influence on what the club will and can do in the summer transfer window.

"It would be a bit weird if I said I was so happy with this team in the summer window and this winter window that now in the next window we bring 15 new players in," he said. "That would be [weird]. But like I said you always have to be prepared for all the new things coming up.

"Will the players that don't play a big part at the moment, will they be able to do this another year? Will they fight for their place or will they [want to] go somewhere else? So we have to be prepared for the next window and what we can do.

"Of course we have some contractual situations that you don't probably don't know about! (laughs) But Trent, Mo and Virgil haven't extended yet. So we are aware of the fact that we have to be sharp and ready for things that can happen.

"I think Richard said this already and maybe I said it once or twice as well that with the 'new regime' coming in, with Richard, me and some others, the first thing we wanted to do was see what we had over here.

"What could we do with them? Ryan Gravenberch is a great example of that, he quickly became the No.6 just by working with players and every single day or a lot of days, we constantly adjust asking: where are we? What quality do we have? Can we add something? Yes or no.

"And then there is the question: is that quality available? Only so many players are good enough to play for this team. That is also not so easy. If you are at Feyenoord, there are more players available than if you are at Liverpool for the right price.

"At the moment, we are very happy with what we have. But in football, things can change as well. If in the upcoming three months, a certain player who has done so well starts to play poorly, then you might have to adjust."