Speculation is swirling around a possible return to Liverpool for Trent Alexander-Arnold this summer, according to a source on X, though any such move would hinge on the Reds reaching an agreement with his current club, Real Madrid. The Scouse full-back left Anfield as a free agent when his contract expired in 2025.
There’s good reason to be sceptical about this one actually happening before the window closes. Liverpool’s finances simply don’t stretch far enough to strengthen the attack, potentially add a midfielder, and still find room to bring Alexander-Arnold back to Merseyside. The only realistic route would be if Madrid were open to loaning out their reserve right-back, allowing Liverpool to help him rediscover his form.
There’s a strong case that Trent could fix a real problem for this Liverpool side. The team’s ability to progress the ball has clearly dipped since losing his trademark line-splitting passes from defence. Jeremy Jacquet has shown flashes of that same quality from centre-back, though he’s not yet operating at the level Alexander-Arnold once did. As for Jeremie Frimpong, he brings genuine threat when driving the ball forward, but he doesn’t possess that same specific passing quality.
Liverpool’s transfer business elsewhere points to a clear priority on restoring pace and width — their interest in Bradley Barcola and Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh being cases in point. Beyond that, the club appears committed to a double-pivot setup, sharing the responsibility for build-up play and defensive cover between the two deepest midfielders, while staying mindful of the broader defensive demands on the team. When it comes to progressing the ball, there’s still a clear emphasis on defenders breaking lines with direct passes — as seen from Jacquet against Newcastle — but players are also given license to carry the ball forward themselves when a pass isn’t on.
