'He'll end up': Dean Saunders predicts Real Madrid to make surprise decision over Trent Alexander-Arnold
01/01/2025 12:30 PM
Liverpool’s January transfer window has started off with the Reds’ backs firmly against the wall.
The winter market tends to be a quieter affair than its summer equivalent and that was expected to be the case in 2025, too.
However, before the New Year celebrations had even began in earnest, Real Madrid threw down the gauntlet by making an approach for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool rejected Madrid’s enquiry about the possibility of Trent moving to Spain in January, but it still feels likely that Alexander-Arnold will eventually go.
The Reds will reportedly keep trying to convince him to stay in the meantime, but it now appears inevitable that Alexander-Arnold will be a Real Madrid player next summer.
Former Liverpool player Dean Saunders certainly thinks that is the case, anyway, and according to Saunders, Madrid may make a surprise decision with the Scouser when he arrives.
Trent Alexander-Arnold backed for midfield role
Prior to Arne Slot’s arrival at Liverpool last year, it felt as though Alexander-Arnold may finally get his wish and become a permanent member of the midfield.
Even after Gareth Southgate botched an attempt to convert him into a midfielder for England at Euro 2024, it still seemed like Trent may reprise that role back at Anfield.
Slot had a different idea, however, and although he does still invert to some degree, Alexander-Arnold is very much a right-back once again.
Speaking on TalkSPORT on Wednesday, though, Saunders predicted that Madrid will use the Liverpool academy graduate in midfield after signing him.
READ MORE: How Trent Alexander-Arnold really feels about a mid-season Liverpool exit to join Real Madrid
“I actually think he’s a brilliant footballer and he’ll end up playing in the middle of midfield for Madrid, that’s where I think he’s heading,” said the former striker.
“I think at right-back he obviously struggles a bit defensively, recently he’s not had much of a problem, he’s been defending better.
“His ball striking and passing is just better than anyone else in the world. It’s sad state of affairs that he’s leaving the club at 26.”
Real Madrid well-stocked in midfield
We’d love to know what Saunders is basing this assumption on, because from where we’re sitting, it’s quite clear that Madrid want Alexander-Arnold at right-back.
Los Blancos suffered a setback in October, with the news that Dani Carvajal will miss around 10 months of action.
As a result of that, they do not currently have a natural right-back in the squad. That’s surely part of the reason they wanted to bring a move for Trent forward to January.
As well as their troubles at full-back, Real also have a midfield that eclipses anything else in world football at the moment.
Boasting Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde and even the veteran Luka Modric still, there is no need for Carlo Ancelotti to bring in another midfielder. As a result, it would be a real surprise to see Saunders prediction come true.
