Real Madrid has approached Liverpool about the early signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold, so that he can play in the club World Cup in June.
The Liverpool contract from Alexander-Arnold is on 30 June, while the opening match of Madrid is against Al Hilal in Miami in the tournament on 18 June.
Madrid is expected to follow their first approach for Alexander-Arnold, with the determination of the LaLiga Club to get the player for Club World Cup clear in their decision to contact Liverpool, so shortly after he announced that he would leave this summer.
If Liverpool refuses to let Alexander-Arnold leave early, the right-hand side could still play in the last phases of the tournament, although he would miss Madrid's group matches against Al Hilal, Pachuca (June 22) and Salzburg (27 June).
Clubs that play in the club World Cup can use a special in tournament window to register players between 27 June and 3 July.
Alexander-Arnold has agreed orally to join Madrid after he announced that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
“This is easy to make the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life,” said Alexander-Arnold in a message on social media.
The International of England came through the Liverpool Academy and played 352 times for the first team and won two Premier League titles – including this season.
Alexander-Arnold helped Liverpool win the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup trophies in 2019, and also lifted two Carabao cups, a FA Cup and one community shield.
The 26-year-old started this season as one of the three important Liverpool players who are out of contract this summer, and while Liverpool Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk extended the deals by two years, they will not lose Alexander-Arnold for no costs.
In an interview with LFC TV, Alexander-Arnold revealed that he needed a change in his career.
Asked if staying in Liverpool was once a possibility, said Alexander-Arnold: “One hundred percent, a huge possibility.
“I have full faith in the manager and the staff and the club in the future. It is not about thinking that we are not going to fight for titles or fighting for the season of the trophies, season out, because I knew from the first few moments with the manager that he was a winner, he strived to win things. And you saw this this season with the way we played.
“So it was never about not having faith in that, it just came down to what I felt I needed, and that is a change.
“That is something that I have to do on my personal journey as a person, but also as a player and a professional, to challenge myself elsewhere. I feel like a challenge in another environment that I have to do as a player.”
How Liverpool tried to keep Alexander-Arnold
Sky Sports News understands that although Alexander-Arnold's decision to leave is a disappointment in Liverpool, the club felt that they were doing everything in their power to make him stay.
Contract discussions with the defender were supposed to be a long -term priority for the Reds, with discussions that go back to last season.
New sports director Richard Hughes, appointed last summer, even contacted the representatives of Alexander-Arnold about a new contract before he started his role, with formal negotiations that start after Arne Slot was appointed as the new head coach.
Liverpool's offer to Alexander-Arnold would have made him the best paid full-back, not only in the Premier League, but also in the World Football but the club realized that a new agreement was not possible because the defender had set his heart on Real Madrid.
The last meeting between the camp of Hughes and Alexander-Arnold came earlier in the spring, after Liverpool had rejected Real Madrid's offer in the January transfer window. That was the moment he told Slot that he would leave the club.
Trent's Social Media -Boodschap Completely …
Alexander-Arnold said on X to confirm his exit: “After 20 years at Liverpool Football Club, it is now time for me to confirm that I will leave at the end of the season.
“This is easy to make the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life.
“I know that many of you have wondered why or frustrated that I have not yet spoken to this, but it was always my intention to keep my full focus on the best interests of the team, which secured no. 20.
“This club has been all my life – my whole world – for 20 years. From the academy to date, the support and love that I have felt of everyone inside and outside the club will stay with me forever. I will be in debt forever.
“But I have never known anything else and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge, getting myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally.
“I gave everything every day I have been to this club and I hope you feel that I gave you back here during my time.
“From my heart I thank everyone – my coaches, my managers, my teammates, the staff and our incredible supporters – over the past 20 years.
“I am blessed enough to live out my dreams here and I will never consider the special moments for granted that I have been lucky to have experienced with you. My love for this club will never die.”