Trent Alexander-Arnold Is Third Choice at Real Madrid
Trent Alexander-Arnold is third choice at right-back for Real Madrid, according to a BBC Sport report published on 1 November.
The England defender joined the Spanish giants in June 2025, after coming through the youth ranks at Liverpool. Real paid 10 million euros (£8.33m) to free him early from Liverpool so he could take part in the Club World Cup. His contract runs until 2031. He has just turned 28, and he is right-footed. He can also play in midfield when needed.
He made his arrival speech in Spanish and called signing for Real a "dream come true".
Life on the pitch has been harder to settle into. This season he has played in seven of Real's 13 games and started four times. His one assist came in a 4-0 home win over Malaga. He did not play in the matches against Roma, Sevilla or RB Leipzig. In the Clasico, the big meeting with Barcelona, he came on in stoppage time, the extra minutes added at the end of a match, and played only a couple of minutes.
His first season was also disrupted. In the 2025-26 campaign he made 21 appearances in La Liga, Spain's top division, out of a possible 38, and started 14 of them. A muscle problem during pre-season interrupted his preparation. He then picked up a hamstring injury in September and a thigh problem in December.
The season has also brought a change at the top. Xabi Alonso left his job as Real Madrid manager during Alexander-Arnold's debut season, and Alvaro Arbeloa was appointed in his place.
Right-back has been a crowded position at Real for some time. Last September, injuries to both Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal left the club short in that area, and players such as Raul Asencio, Federico Valverde and Eder Militao were named as possible cover, according to The Athletic.
What stands out is the gap between the name and the minutes. A player who grew up at Liverpool, moved for a big fee and signed a long deal is now waiting for a regular place. Injuries explain part of that wait, and a crowded squad explains the rest. For Alexander-Arnold, the next stretch of the season will show how much of a route back into the starting side is open.
