Gary Neville and Ian Wright have argued that Trent Alexander-Arnold may struggle for football at Real Madrid.
The Liverpool right-back is reportedly set to join the Spanish giants upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.
Alexander-Arnold, 26, has been crucial during a successful period for Liverpool, winning multiple trophies with his boyhood club
Despite being on course to win his second league title, the contract situation has loomed over Alexander-Arnold, who was the subject of an offer from Real Madrid in January
While a move to Madrid may appeal to the defender, Neville and Wright both feel he will have to fight for his place in the team, even if he becomes the latest Galactico.
Neville
“I said that I thought he [ Trent Alexander-Arnold] had to get more serious about his defending – I’ve said that constantly – or else it will cause him problems,”
“I think it will cause him a problem at Real Madrid because they have Federico Valverde, who is playing right-back currently, and Dani Carvajal when he’s back –
“he’s going to have some serious competition. They are brilliant players, and he’s going to find it tough there.”
When asked if Alexander-Arnold was better than Real’s current options, Neville explained:
“I think Carvajal, from a balance of going forward and back – the problem is that he’s 32 and has had a bad injury – but for me, Carvajal is a better full-back than Trent because of what he gives to the team.
“It’s unbelievable what Valverde is doing for them at the moment, so he’s going to have competition when he goes.”
Ultimately, Neville feels that a familiar issue for Alexander-Arnold could lead to difficulty nailing down a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Neville said
“Coming back to Trent, I said he needs to get more serious about his defending, and that was proven by the fact he couldn’t get in the England team for many years,”
“And he gets subbed for Liverpool a lot. I’ve never known a right-back get subbed so many times in important periods of matches.”
Alexander-Arnold has previously stated his ambition to win the Ballon d’Or, and thriving for Real Madrid may lead him to become the first full-back to win the award.
Ian Wright agrees with Neville that the defender faces a battle to play regularly for Los Blancos despite his success with Liverpool.
Wright
“What we’ll learn very quickly with Trent at Real Madrid when he gets there is that he will realise the levels,”
“If the defending is something that [needs addressing] – we all know it’s one of his weakest points – he won’t play there.
“If you look at Valverde and his passing range, Carvajal and his defending, you don’t need to have a player who is there who is doing great stuff going forward.
“If he goes there with just his offensive power, are they going to play him right-back for him to come inside like he does?
"If it doesn’t work out for him in respect of his offensive style, there’s so many great players there – that’s what he’s got to contend with.”
despite Neville outlining the hurdles that may await Alexander-Arnold in Madrid, the pundit understands why he would choose to leave Liverpool
Neville compared it to his former United team-mate David Beckham swapping Old Trafford for Santiago Bernabeu and how the move opened the door to new opportunities.
Neville
“[Alexander-Arnold] does have his challenges with the way he plays, but it’s right that Liverpool fans can feel let down about him leaving,”
“As a fan, he’s a local kid, and fans have a right to feel that way.
“I also think about it with my David Beckham cap on, thinking about what career he had when he went to Real Madrid and then Milan, and he had the experiences that have led him to what he’s done since.
“He wouldn’t have had that if he stayed at United, so part of me thinks that since I’ve stopped playing football, I think differently about it.
“The experience of going to Real Madrid and playing there is incredible for him.”
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