Transfer
Mourinho admits Alexander-Arnold situation makes him 'sad' amid Liverpool return links
The Real Madrid manager spoke frankly about the England international's lack of playing time, as reports link him with a return to the Premier League.
FootVal Newsroom
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has publicly acknowledged that Trent Alexander-Arnold's limited role at the club makes him 'sad', speaking out amid growing speculation about the right-back's future in Spain.
Alexander-Arnold, 28, has struggled for consistent starts since joining Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2025. According to Transfermarkt, Liverpool have been among the clubs to make an approach about a potential return, with the transfer window now shut but January moves already being discussed.
Mundo Deportivo reports that Alexander-Arnold has featured in seven of Madrid's 13 league games this season, starting only four of them and contributing a single assist — in a 4-0 home win over Málaga. A mixture of injury problems and competition from Dani Carvajal limited him to 14 LaLiga starts in his debut campaign.
Mourinho's arrival at the Bernabéu this summer further complicated matters for the England international. FootVal's valuation of Alexander-Arnold stands at €53m, against a Transfermarkt market value of €60m; he is contracted until June 2031.
Whether he remains in Madrid beyond January or seeks a route back to England remains unclear, but Mourinho's candid comments suggest the situation is unlikely to resolve itself quietly.
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
- Transfermarkt — Latest transfer news: Trent Alexander-Arnold approached for Liverpool return
- Mirror — Jose Mourinho 'sad' about Trent Alexander-Arnold as Real Madrid exit claims answered
- talkSPORT — Jose Mourinho addresses Trent Alexander-Arnold exit rumours amid Premier League transfer links
- Mundo Deportivo — "Creo que cometió un gran error al ir a Real Madrid y ahora quieren que se vaya"
Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report