Liverpool nearing stunning agreement to leave Real Madrid reeling

Liverpool are seemingly growing more and more hopeful that Trent Alexander-Arnold will reject a move to Real Madrid and sign a new contract at Anfield, with a third source now claiming he could stay and two reasons for rejecting the Spanish giants emerging.

The full-back falls out of contract at Anfield on July 1 – just 68 days from now – and has been widely expected to sign for Real Madrid as a free agent. Indeed, last month, a series of respected sources claimed the Spanish giants had wrapped up an agreement to bring in Alexander-Arnold and his move from Liverpool would be confirmed in a matter of days.

But some five weeks on from those initial statements, neither club nor player has yet to confirm the agreement. And now a number of sources have stated that Alexander-Arnold is having second thoughts on the move to the Bernabeu.

Furthermore, the possibility of the player instead staying at Anfield and signing a new contract at his hometown club was first floated earlier this week, with both Spanish outlet Fichajes and the more respected Liverpool Echo insisting that remained a possibility.

Now a third source has jumped on the bandwagon with Football Insider suggesting there is a growing confidence that the 26-year-old will stick around and follow Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk in penning extended terms on Merseyside.

They claim Alexander-Arnold has been given two reasons to have second thoughts over the move to the Spanish giants, with the uncertainty over Carlo Ancelotti’s position as manager, together with whom might replace them, factored in with the fact that Los Blancos are currently considered to be in something of a ‘rebuilding phase’ giving the player reasons to doubt the move.

Indeed, having seen Liverpool effectively romp towards Premier League title glory and having what looks a stable situation on the managerial front in Arne Slot at the helm, there is now a growing belief that Alexander-Arnold could perform a major U-turn that will leave Real Madrid reeling.

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New Alexander-Arnold deal? What else has been said?

While the majority of the media still believe that Alexander-Arnold will make the move, with sources informing TEAMtalk back in October that officials from the Spanish giants had been in what was described to us as ‘constant contact’ with his entourage over a deal, it still remains far from a done deal that an agreement there will be signed and sealed.

And with Fichajes claiming that Liverpool have launched ‘one last attempt’ to convince him to stay and were ‘not willing to give up’ maybe those hopes are starting to grow.

However, the fact that the trusted Liverpool Echo now states they ‘haven’t given up hope of him penning a new deal at Anfield’ offers a lot more hope to supporters.

Alexander-Arnold himself has refused to be drawn into the saga and recently spoke to the media following his emotional celebration after scoring Liverpool’s winning goal in their 1-0 win at Leicester over the weekend.

“Look, obviously, like I said all season, I’m not going to speak on my situation, I’m not going to go into details. But these days, like today are always special,” he told Sky Sports.

“Scoring goals, winning games, being close to winning titles, being in title races, they’re special moments that will live with me forever and I’m glad to be a part of them.”

Slot was unsurprisingly asked about Alexander-Arnold’s future following the game, but stuck to a similar script to the right-back, choosing to focus on his achievements rather than the transfer speculation.

“It would be ridiculous if someone argues his [Alexander-Arnold’s]commitment to this club,” Slot said in a post-match interview.

“All the headlines should be about Trent scoring this goal and all of the incredible moments he has delivered for this football club over the years.”

Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby is also adamant that the manner of the player’s ferocious and passionate celebration at the King Power is not befitting of a player set to leave his hometown club.

“He couldn’t have looked any happier if he’d have tried. It generally meant an awful lot to him,” Molby told Anfield Index.

“He was very blunt about, ‘I’m not going to speak on my situation’, there was an opportunity for him to give a little bit of hope… He didn’t do it.

“There’s not one single person in and around Real Madrid who doesn’t believe that he’s joined them. They all seem to think that, you know, it’s a done deal and has been for a while.

“The better you play, the more likely you are to get a place at the big table

“When he scored, he didn’t look like somebody who was joining Real Madrid. He looked like somebody who just scored a very important goal for the club he probably loves.”

Liverpool transfer latest: Battle on for €130m star; Salah deal to force exit

Meanwhile, Liverpool are reportedly set to rival Manchester City in the race to sign of the Bundesliga’s biggest names and could launch a record-breaking bid this summer.

And while it would take a fee well beyond the Reds’ current transfer record to land their man, it’s claimed Slot believes a deal is there to be done for the uber-talented 21-year-old.

Elsewhere, while everyone associated with the Reds may still be celebrating the contract renewal of Salah at Anfield, not everyone on Merseyside is particularly enamoured by the Egyptian’s bumper new deal, with one player now reportedly considering his options and with a surprise transfer avenue opening up.

And finally, Liverpool are likely to quickly veer away from their growing interest in Hugo Ekitike after the Eintracht Frankfurt striker’s price skyrocketed in a move branded “outrageous” and with Slot and Richard Hughes now forced to consider other options.

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