Trent Alexander-Arnold has featured in seven of the 13 matches Real Madrid have played this season, starting four times and registering one assist, as his future at the club now hangs in the balance.
It has not been an easy start to the season for the England full-back. He joined Real Madrid in June 2025 with the ambition of establishing himself as the club’s first-choice right-back, but the reality has been very different.
The arrival of Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan this summer added more competition for the position. Now manager Jose Mourinho appears to be favouring Fede Valverde, normally a midfielder, as a starter at right-back. That leaves Alexander-Arnold as third choice and raises questions about where, and in what role, Mourinho sees his future.
Alexander-Arnold’s one assist came in a 4-0 home win over Malaga. His involvement has declined over the past four games. He did not play against Roma, Sevilla or RB Leipzig, and he got just a couple of minutes in El Clasico, coming on in stoppage time.
The 28-year-old’s move was a clear sign of Real’s intent. The club paid 10m euros (£8.33m) last summer to secure his early release, making him available for the Club World Cup, rather than waiting until his Liverpool contract expired and he could leave on a free transfer. Despite having a contract until 2031, his position at the club is now uncertain.
‘A dream come true’
Alexander-Arnold made an excellent first impression. During his first public appearance, he delivered his arrival speech in Spanish and described signing for Real as a “dream come true”.
“I’m very happy and proud to be here. I’m eager to show the club and the fans what I can do,” he said.
There was considerable optimism surrounding his arrival. His signing appeared to form part of the club’s succession plan at right-back, with the expectation that he could provide cover for Dani Carvajal while positioning himself as a potential long-term successor to the veteran Spaniard.
His first season, however, fell short of expectations. He made 21 La Liga appearances in 2025-26 out of a possible 38, with 14 starts, as injuries and a lack of continuity prevented him from establishing himself as a regular presence. For a player with his pedigree and reputation, it was a frustrating start to life in Madrid.
Several factors have contributed. Injuries have played a significant role. A hamstring problem in September and a thigh injury in December disrupted his first campaign and denied him the sustained run of games he needed to build momentum and develop an understanding with his new team-mates. A muscle issue during pre-season had already interrupted his preparations.
The turnover in management also hurt. Xabi Alonso’s departure and Alvaro Arbeloa’s subsequent appointment meant Alexander-Arnold had to adapt to a change in leadership during his debut season. Neither tenure brought the consistency Real had hoped for, and Mourinho now faces the task of finding the right balance within a squad packed with talent.
Could he leave Real Madrid in January?
Mourinho has addressed speculation that Alexander-Arnold could leave in January. He admitted that difficult selection decisions can be painful, but he insisted that the team’s needs must come first.
“First of all, it hurts me. I don’t like to make players feel bad. I want them to feel good,” Mourinho said.
“Obviously, when you build a squad with two players per position as your foundation and then have a third player take the field, that’s something I don’t like.
“But there are things that are more important than these feelings. Things that are more important for the team at a given moment. And I decided that right now, the move was to change up the midfield and put Fede [Valverde] in there.
“But I was thinking about the team, not the players. Trent and Dumfries took it well when I explained that it was a decision for the team and not against the players.”
Mourinho has previously highlighted Alexander-Arnold’s versatility and tactical intelligence. He has insisted that squad rotation and positional flexibility will be crucial to Real’s success. Speaking at his first news conference in August, he stressed that competition for places would be important, naming Trent alongside Netherlands international Dumfries.
“It is not possible to think that one will play 60 games and the other none,” he said, underlining the need to keep his squad involved and motivated.
That flexibility was evident against Inter Milan in September. Mourinho deployed Alexander-Arnold in central midfield alongside Valverde because several midfield options were unavailable through suspension. Mourinho was pleased with the defender’s performance, saying he had “interpreted what he needed to really well, tactically” and that he and Valverde had “worked very well at this level”.
Mourinho has stressed the importance of keeping every member of his squad motivated. “Right now, we are working to make sure all the players are ready at all times, so everyone feels they could be playing and that they are important. That’s very important for motivation.”
A return to Liverpool?
Speaking on The Overlap, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said he would welcome Alexander-Arnold back to the Merseyside club.
“I’d have him back,” Carragher said. “He would get a lot of criticism, because I think he made a mistake. I think he made a big mistake going to Madrid.
“We’ve definitely missed his creativity.”
Carragher also highlighted Alexander-Arnold’s position in Real’s pecking order. “At the moment, he’s actually third-choice right-back for Real Madrid. They’re playing a midfield player [Federico Valverde] at right-back, so even in El Clasico, Denzel Dumfries, the first-choice right-back, comes on as a substitute.
“So when you’re third choice at a club, they’re obviously wanting you to move on.”
For now, Alexander-Arnold will be hoping for more minutes in Real’s next three games, two league matches and one Champions League fixture, before the international break.
He will also be hoping to retain his place in Thomas Tuchel’s next England squad. That squad is due to be announced on 6 November, ahead of the Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain. Alexander-Arnold was recalled for September’s international window, ending an absence from the squad dating back to June 2025.
With competition for the right-back position remaining strong, his lack of regular playing time at club level could count against him. Tuchel will have a decision to make over whether to stick with Alexander-Arnold or turn to alternative options.