All roads LEAD to Liverpool for Trent Alexander-Arnold

This week has brought a flurry of stories linking Trent Alexander-Arnold with the Real Madrid exit door.

First it was reported in the Spanish media that the 27-year-old had already grown fed up of life in the capital. Trent was said to be disillusioned, frustrated by what were described as broken promises.

And it’s true that Trent hasn’t had the start that he would have wanted.

His performances in the FIFA Club World Cup were ordinary before missing the semi-final hammering against Paris Saint-Germain due to injury.

That absence had the knives out in the Madrid media - who were baffled that the club had signed an injury-prone right-back.

Although he began the league season in possession of the starting shirt, it didn’t take long for questions to be raised. Trent was frequently singled out for giving the ball away and being dribbled past one-v-one.

And head coach Xabi Alonso - reported to be having sleepless nights over Trent’s defending - took the decision to pull him out of the lineup in favour of Dani Carvajal.

Trent's nightmare Real Madrid start

Trent was then injured in a Champions League game against Marseille - ruling him out for around two months. His comeback was a total failure and he is currently injured again - not expected to play until the end of January.

In short up to now his Madrid career has been a washout. He isn’t the game-changing playmaker he was signed to be. He’s not getting in the team as often as he should. And when he is in, he’s dropping ordinary displays.

If he IS considering an exit, then it’s no surprise.

Madrid want Trent out

Now come the reports that the feeling is mutual - that Madrid too have made it known that the England international should seek another club.

They are paying him £280k per week and it’s not yet clear whether Alvaro Arbeloa - or his successor - will value him in the same way Alonso reportedly did.

He’s got a long contract - until 2030 - and Madrid will be reasonably assured of making more than the £10m they paid Liverpool last summer.

And if there is a glimmer of hope for signing Trent then Richard Hughes should be right at the front of the queue.

Liverpool should welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold back

Liverpool’s own post-Trent plans haven’t gone swimmingly.

Although Jeremie Frimpong has been better in recent weeks he is not a “right-back” in the traditional sense. Conor Bradley’s injury meanwhile - as well as his occasionally iffy performances - maybe suggest he is not the long-term solution there either.

Arne Slot’s buildup has been hampered due to Trent’s absence and it’s clear Mo Salah misses him too. This could be exactly the kind of opportunistic deal that Hughes has made his bread and butter.

Would Liverpool fans forgive him?

Well Ian Rush went to Juventus in 1987 and returned a year later deciding the grass wasn’t indeed greener. Alexander-Arnold deserves similar charity.

He is a Liverpool boy, born and bred, and should be welcomed back accordingly. It might be hard for supporters to have any sympathy - to tell Trent “you made your bed”.

He’s been injured, lost his place in the team, lost his head coach and lost his place in the England squad just ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

This move couldn’t have gone much worse and if it’s affordable then Liverpool need to rescue him from his Real Madrid nightmare.

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