Game OVER for Trent Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid | OneFootball

Liverpool fans were angry when Trent Alexander-Arnold ran down his contract. The homegrown hero had been at Anfield for 20 years - but took the opportunity to move to Real Madrid this summer.

Playing alongside his friend Jude Bellingham - not to mention a hefty pay rise - was a temptation that proved too tough to resist for the right-back.

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Madrid wanted Trent on a free but in order to guarantee his availability for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup they had to pay to release him from his Liverpool contract one month early.

Richard Hughes convinced Los Blancos to pay £8.4m for the England man - whose campaign was marred by injury.

Carvajal comes ROARING back

Question marks were raised early on over Alexander-Arnold’s signing with Xabi Alonso reportedly unhappy with the player’s defensive capabilities.

And all the while he’s had Dani Carvajal breathing down his neck. Alexander-Arnold was acquired in part because of a serious injury suffered by the Spain right-back in October 2024.

Given Carvajal is also at a pretty advanced age - he is now 33 - it was reckoned that Madrid would be content to move on from the club legend by using Trent instead.

But Carvajal has worked hard on his fitness and is in no mood to surrender his place to the young pretender.

Trent dumped by Xabi Alonso

Although Trent started the league season in possession of the starting shirt, he lasted just over an hour of the opening fixture against Osasuna.

Having given the ball away 15 times in a dubious debut, Trent was hauled off by Xabi Alonso and replaced by Carvajal.

Things got even worse for Trent in Madrid’s 3-0 victory over LaLiga new boys Real Oviedo on Sunday night.

The 26-year-old was unceremoniously DUMPED from the lineup - with Carvajal restored to the team and given the captain’s armband.

That caps a stunning turnaround for the six-time Champions League winner - who now looks certain to have beaten Trent to the right-back slot.

Trent, for his part, came on in the 87th minute with Madrid in control.

© Anfield Watch

"Trent is going to struggle"

"Carvajal is back in the starting lineup. Trent is out, which seems perfectly normal to me," said Real Madrid analyst Julio Maldonado on YouTube - confirming that Trent had effectively traded legendary status at Anfield for a bit-part role at Madrid.

"He's not 100% fit, but at a reasonable level, he'll beat Trent Alexander-Arnold for the position.”

Former Madrid player Alvaro Benito went even further - declaring that Alexander-Arnold would probably have to get used to a backup role. "If Dani is fine, Trent is going to struggle," he said.

Where does all this leave Trent?

Well maybe in time he will reflect on what he gave up at Anfield in order to pursue his dream in Spain. He has been left out in the cold - failing to beat his No1 rival to his place in the team.

There is no way back for Trent at Anfield either - with Liverpool moving on with Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley in the right-back position.