Real Madrid give 12-word response after learning Man City ‘making behind-the-scenes moves’ for Trent Alexander-Arnold – report | OneFootball

Manchester City have started making moves to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold in the summer of 2026, according to a speculative Spanish report, which has also revealed whether Real Madrid will sell the former Liverpool star to Pep Guardiola’s side.

Alexander-Arnold joined Madrid at the end of last season after leaving Liverpool. Although Liverpool tried their best to keep the right-back at Anfield, the England international turned down multiple offers of a new contract from the Premier League club to move to the Spanish and European giants.

The 27-year-old established himself as one of the best right-backs in the world when he was at Liverpool, but he has made an underwhelming start to his Real Madrid career.

Injuries and competition for a place in Xabi Alonso’s starting line-up have limited Alexander-Arnold to just 16 appearances for Los Blancos, with five starts in LaLiga and two starts in the Champions League.

Alexander-Arnold is under contract at Madrid until the summer of 2031, but that has not stopped Manchester City from trying to bring him back to England.

According to Defensa Central, a Real Madrid-centric news outlet that is often speculative, Man City manager Pep Guardiola is looking for a new right-back.

Man City are ‘very interested’ in Alexander-Arnold and have ‘begun making behind-the-scenes moves to test the waters’.

The report has claimed that Man City are planning to pay €40million (£35m, $47m) for the former Liverpool star in the summer of 2026.

Madrid, though, are in no mood to sell Alexander-Arnold, with a source at the club telling Defensa Central: “You do not sell a player of that quality for forty million.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid to Man City NOT happening

Alexander-Arnold is a former Liverpool player, and Man City will be fully aware that the Englishman is very unlikely to play for another English club in his career.

A large section of the Liverpool fans were not happy with Alexander-Arnold for turning down multiple offers of a new contract from the Merseyside club to switch to Madrid last summer.

The right-back will be fully aware of that, and he will surely not want to join another English club to further damage the relationship.

Defensa Central is often speculative, and links between Man City and Alexander-Arnold sound far-fetched.

However, it is true that Man City want to sign a new right-back in 2026.

Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, that Man City are in the market for a right-back, although a summer arrival is more likely.

Our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported on December 8 that Man City are keen on Tino Livramento and are leading the race for the Newcastle United star.

Meanwhile, sources have told us that Tottenham Hotspur are planning to Real Madrid for a bench-warmer, who himself is open to a move to the Premier League.

Graeme Bailey has reported the response that Real Madrid have given to Leeds United about signing Goncalo Garcia in the January transfer window.

And finally, a Spanish report has claimed that a Chelsea midfielder is ready to join Real Madrid following the departure of Enzo Maresca as the manager.