Real Madrid are on the cusp of signing superstar right back Trent Alexander-Arnold as a free agent from Liverpool this summer, ending arguably the most anticipated transfer saga of 2025 before the window officially opens.
TAA is a homegrown talent for Liverpool, and yet the Reds are fully expected to lose their most valuable transfer commodity to the biggest club in world football this year.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had the generationally gifted right back tabbed as his only option at the position, and he accelerated his interest in the England international following star man Dani Carvajal’s season-ending ACL tear.
Perez also had some vital help. Relevo reports, via the Madrid Zone, that Real Madrid star midfielder and Alexander-Arnold’s England teammate Jude Bellingham played a “key role” in the recruitment effort to bring TAA to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Although nothing is fully official yet, Real Madrid are taking the first steps in the direction of making it all real, and if they do, they have Bellingham to thank in large part for this successful transfer pursuit.
Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham are close friends in real life, and we have seen throughout the year how Jude has made subtle winks in the media to the world-class right back.
Relevo reports that Bellingham spoke highly about Real Madrid to Alexander-Arnold in an effort to convince the 26-year-old star to become the club’s successor to Carvajal.
Joe Soriano covers West Ham for Green Street Hammers and writes about Real Madrid for The Real Champs. He has extensive experience covering world football since 2014. Joe is an editor for The Trivela Effect, where he covers the biggest clubs in European football. He has watched professional sports regularly since 2002 and can be found playing the same sports he covers with his friends.