Real Madrid have informed Liverpool of their intent to sign defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to talkSPORT.
The Spanish giants, though not required to officially register interest, reportedly want to show respect to Liverpool as Alexander-Arnold becomes eligible to sign a pre-contract with overseas clubs in January.
Liverpool, meanwhile, remain hopeful of securing a contract extension for the England star, whose current deal expires next summer – alongside Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
Alexander-Arnold has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid, a connection strengthened by his friendship with Jude Bellingham, who has thrived since his transfer to the Spanish capital.
Real’s urgency is heightened by Dani Carvajal’s ACL injury in October, leaving Los Blancos without a senior right-back.
The potential departure of Alexander-Arnold could mark a significant loss for Liverpool, but emerging talent Conor Bradley has shown promise.
Bradley notably impressed against Real Madrid in the Champions League, delivering a standout performance to neutralize Kylian Mbappe at Anfield, even earning praise for his fearless tackles.
England legend Stuart Pearce, covering the match for talkSPORT, humorously said: “With Trent Alexander-Arnold sitting on the bench at the moment, he must be thinking to himself, I might just knock on the manager’s door and say, please, have you got a contract for me?
“Because you’ve got someone who’s been absolutely outstanding tonight, he’s been brilliant.
“He’s dealt with [Kylian] Mbappe, he’s got forward, he’s assisted goals, he’s been everything.”
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