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7 hours ago
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Trent Alexander-Arnold is closing in on his prolonged free transfer move to Real Madrid.
The England international confirmed his departure from Liverpool at the start of May but the final exit negotiations are still unresolved.
The small print of his contract at Anfield ties him to the Premier League champions until June 30, but Real Madrid are pushing to secure an earlier deal, to include him in their FIFA Club World Cup squad.
As talks continue, Liverpool could demand a settlement fee in the region of £1m [$1.3m] to release him at the end of May, but Real Madrid will still not need to pay a transfer fee.
The 26-year-old's switch to Madrid has been an open secret since the start of 2025 despite Liverpool's attempts to retain him.
However, his arrival in the Spanish capital will not be without challenges, including a battle to get past Dani Carvajal and into the Los Blancos starting XI.
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Will Trent replace Dani Carvajal at Real Madrid?
This question has fuelled plenty of debate amongst Real Madrid fans ahead of Trent's arrival at the club.
Carvajal has been a stalwart of the club for over a decade with 400+ appearances plus four La Liga titles and six UEFA Champions League crowns.
However, the 33-year-old has missed the majority of the 2024/25 season due to an ACL injury with Lucas Vazquez and Fede Valverde covering at right-back in his absence.
The gritty Carvajal has now battled back to full fitness, and will join the squad at the Club World Cup, as he builds up to a return to match action.
Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold's skillsets are very different, with the former's bullish and sharp defensive instincts forming the base of his game, compared to Trent's greater ability going forward.
Concerns over Trent's defensive capabilities will come under huge scrutiny in the months ahead but Carvajal insists he's not daunted by the challenge of a fresh rival for his position.
"Will there be competition with Trent Alexander-Arnold? That's clear... It hasn't been made official yet, but it looks like it," as per quotes from Marca.
"Fear? We don't talk about fear here - we'll be teammates. Competition improves both of us and brings out the best in each of us.
"I will travel to the Club World Cup. There I'll start working more with the team and assess when I can compete."
Carvajal is clear he will not hand over his shirt to Trent and the Spain international could also be given the club captaincy this summer if Luka Modric moves on.
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