Liverpool Transfer News: Could Trent Alexander-Arnold’s interview open the path to Anfield return?

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s endured a challenging first season at Real Madrid – and similar frustrations could be in store under new boss José Mourinho.

The 27-year-old’s 2025/26 campaign was punctuated by two significant injuries that kept him out of action for over three months, resulting in just 14 LaLiga starts for Los Blancos.

Real’s No.12 will have hoped for a clean slate following Mourinho’s arrival, but new signing Denzel Dumfries was selected ahead of him at right-back for Saturday’s league opener against Espanyol.

Meanwhile, it’s fair to say that things haven’t gone particularly well at Liverpool since Alexander-Arnold swapped Merseyside for the Spanish capital.

The Reds struggled to a fifth-place finish last term and were defensively unconvincing when they kicked off 2026/27 with a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United.

All of which raises the question: Could a return to Anfield potentially be on the cards for one of Liverpool’s most successful academy graduates?

A difficult campaign

It perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise that Alexander-Arnold’s transition to life at the Bernabéu hasn’t been particularly smooth.

After all, last season was a turbulent one for Madrid, who sacked Xabi Alonso in January before Álvaro Arbeloa led them to second in LaLiga – eight points behind Barcelona.

They were also eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Segunda División outfit Albacete and exited the Champions League following a quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich.

Amid rumours of significant dressing room unrest, Alexander-Arnold struggled to adapt – missing 21 matches with a hamstring injury and then a muscle tear, while looking defensively suspect at times when featuring.

And though the 34-cap international did come off the bench in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Espanyol, he is surely disappointed that Denzel Dumfries appears at the forefront of Mourinho’s mind when it comes to the right-back berth.

There is a chance that Alexander-Arnold could be redeployed as a central midfielder by the Portuguese tactician, but plenty of question marks remain over his long-term future with Real.

Frimpong yet to convince

Liverpool made the decision to replace Alexander-Arnold with Jeremie Frimpong last summer, parting with £29.5 million to sign the Dutch defender from Bayer Leverkusen.

The jury is still out on his suitability, though, after failing to convince across his 21 Premier League appearances in 2025/26 – and taking that form into Sunday’s draw with Newcastle.

He struggled going forward and with his defensive duties at St James' Park, only completing one of his five crosses and finding himself in no man’s land as Yoane Wissa and Joe Willock exchanged passes for the Magpies’ second.

However, it is worth noting that no player on the pitch created more chances than the three he conjured on Tyneside, which hints at potential for improvement as the campaign progresses.

And it wasn’t only the 25-year-old who struggled to cope when Newcastle came forward, with Milos Kerkez also enduring a difficult afternoon on the opposite flank.

But Frimpong is always going to be compared with his predecessor, as Reds’ supporters recall Alexander-Arnold’s phenomenal attacking prowess and ability to cope with the demands of operating in a high-pressing set-up.

Lest we forget, no Premier League full-back or wing-back completed more through-balls (12), long passes (126) or took more shots (45) during his final season at Anfield, while he also ranked inside the top three for assists (6), chances created (53) and final third passes completed (470).

There is hope that Conor Bradley can step up and provide a long-term solution for Liverpool, but it remains to be seen how he will fit into Andoni Iraola’s system while he is out for an extended period following knee surgery.

Improved relations on the horizon?

There is an elephant in the room, of course, which is Liverpool supporters’ difficult relationship with Alexander-Arnold following his departure.

Plenty of fans were particularly unhappy with the former Ballon d'Or nominee’s decision to run down his contract and join Real Madrid back in 2025, citing a lack of loyalty from somebody they considered ‘one of their own’.

That shouldn’t discount a return to Merseyside, though, with football supporters notoriously known to have short memories when a returning player can improve their side’s fortunes.

A recent interview with Alexander-Arnold in the Daily Mirror also hinted at a thawing of relations – from his side at least.

“I still watch every [Liverpool] game,” he said. “I support them. I want to see them do well. I enjoy watching them, and there will always be a place in my heart for Liverpool, no matter what.

“It is home to me. It’s the place that gave me the opportunities to go and do what I’ve done and I will always love it. It’s always a place that I’ll call home.”

The two-time Champions League winner also revealed that he has been able to differentiate between the abuse directed at him online and the more balanced thoughts of the wider fanbase.

“Since leaving for Real Madrid, I’ve been back to Liverpool to visit family on a number of occasions,” he revealed.

“I’ve bumped into lots of fellow Scousers and Reds when I’ve been on my travels.

“Not a single interaction I’ve had in person reflects the sort of stuff you get online or via social media. So that helps me disassociate it.”

England aspirations

Alexander-Arnold also discussed his disappointment at missing out on the England squad for the 2026 World Cup – which could prove to be a factor in any potential departure from Real Madrid.

“When the call came [from Thomas Tuchel], I was at home in Madrid,” he explained.

“I had some family over visiting and I went to my bedroom to take the call. When I put the phone down, I was properly gutted. Absolutely gutted.

“I’d made no plans for my summer because I hoped I’d be in the squad.”

Tuchel’s decision may have partly been because Alexander-Arnold didn’t fit the profile he was looking for in a right-back, but his disrupted season at the Bernabéu certainly can’t have helped.

A stretch of consistently high-level performances will be needed to convince the England boss of his qualities ahead of Euro 2028, with those opportunities not guaranteed to arrive at Real.

With that in mind, it remains a distinct possibility that the Merseyside native could be looking for a transfer over the coming months – and that Liverpool may also be looking to strengthen at right-back.

Though some supporters may find the thought of Alexander-Arnold back in a red shirt unpalatable or unlikely, don’t rule out a shock return to L4 if the stars align in January or next summer.