Real Madrid make right-back January priority – Trent Alexander-Arnold deal in mind | OneFootball

Links between Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold are not new, with the 25-year-old England international one of their top priorities for 2025. What has shifted is the urgency of the matter for Los Blancos.

With Dani Carvajal out for the year, and both Rafael Leao and Raphinha have their way with Lucas Vazquez, Real Madrid have decided that the right-back position is their top priority. They will seek to make a move in January say Marca, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is their number one target.

Los Blancos were intending on signing him for free at the end of his contract next summer, but the circumstances at the Santiago Bernabeu have caused a change of heart. They will try to sign Alexander-Arnold in January, although they understand that a deal will be very difficult. Liverpool have no intention of selling any of Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk or Mohamed Salah in the winter transfer window, all of who are out of contract next summer.

Real Madrid are looking at other options too, and thinking about a change of strategy for the summer. The absence of Toni Kroos has been signalled as one of the main causes of their struggles this season, but Los Blancos were convinced that Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde would step up. In a few months time, they will seek out a midfielder capable of directing play.

The position that is worrying Real Madrid even more is centre-back. David Alaba remains an uncertainty, as he continues his recovery from a serious knee injury, while Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao have looked less than convincing. RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba is their top target, but as with the right-back spot, they are looking at several alternatives.

Previously Real Madrid have been linked with Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong have also been linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu. Porro has expressed his enthusiasm for Real Madrid, but would be the most expensive of all their options, while Frimpong has a €40m release clause. He also has the advantage of being familiar with Xabi Alonso, who many in Madrid expect to be manager next season.