Liverpool act fast to secure star as Richard Hughes plans monumental offer to Real Madrid target

Liverpool are ready to put immediate plans in place to tie down Trent Alexander-Arnold to a new contract at Anfield, with Richard Hughes set to offer a mega-money new deal to the player and despite a warning from a former star that the player would find a transfer to Real Madrid ‘impossible to resist’.

Alexander-Arnold is the Liverpool vice-captain and a modern-day icon at Anfield, having come through their academy to become one of their best and most important stars. Regarded as one of the most creative full-backs in the modern game, the 25-year-old has a hugely-impressive 79 assists and 19 goals from 310 appearances for the Reds – unreal numbers for a full-back.

Although given licence to roam forwards by previous boss Jurgen Klopp, helping to aid his impressive numbers, Alexander-Arnold has also shown himself capable of playing as an out-and-out midfielder when featuring for the England team; or at least that was how Gareth Southgate used the West Derby born star over this summer’s European Championships.

Now with under a year left on his Anfield deal, Liverpool face a critical summer of talks to try and persuade Alexander-Arnold – as well as Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk – to extend their stays on Merseyside for the forseeable future.

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With the trios deals all running down, the Reds would have no shortage of suitors for the their star men if they were either put up for sale this summer or the players allowed their contracts run down.

Indeed, reports from Spain of late have warned Liverpool that Real Madrid are lurking with serious intent as far as Alexander-Arnold is concerned with the player very much on their radar for a summer 2025 swoop.

Trent Alexander-Arnold: Liverpool plan urgent contract talks

Looking to persuade him to quit Anfield on a free transfer next summer, Alexander-Arnold would be eligible to open talks over signing a pre-contract agreement with them from January 1 where he could join close mate Jude Bellingham and the recently-acquired Kylian Mbappe at the Bernabeu.

It’s also been suggested Real Madrid could even make a move for the Reds star this summer, though sources have told TEAMtalk that the Reds would be unwilling to name a price for the player given they have absolutely no wish to sell Alexander-Arnold as things stand right now.

Now TEAMtalk can also confirm that the Reds are planning talks with the player and his agency, the PLG Group, as a priority the moment the player is due back at their Kirkby training base following his summer break.

We understand Alexander-Arnold is slotted to return to training by the middle of next week, though he will be put through his paces with a smaller group with the bulk of his teammates heading off on a three-city pre-season tour to the United States, which departed the UK on Tuesday.

Indeed, TAA is joined by Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz in all missing the trip due to still being on pre-season breaks following extended spells of international duty this summer.

Jota and Alisson, however, will hook up with their touring part in the United States at a later date, with their first game scheduled to take place against Real Betis in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

In the meantime, sporting director Hughes will look to tie down Alexander-Arnold to a huge new deal, which will confirm his status as one of the club’s best-paid players. TEAMtalk understands this could be through to the summer of 2028 if the player agrees to it.

Real Madrid transfer ‘still a problem’ for Liverpool

Meanwhile, Liverpool have been warned that Alexander-Arnold could yet turn down the Reds’ proposals and that he could easily be persuaded to ditch Merseyside for Madrid.

The warning comes from former Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson, who feels the chance to become a modern-day Galactico alongside the likes of Vinicius Jnr, Bellingham and Mbappe could prove too big a lure to turn down.

“Madrid’s Madrid,” said Johnson. “Liverpool are going to be going through some uncertain times in the short-term, so if Real Madrid are at the table, it’s difficult for players to not go. If he goes there, he’s likely to win the Champions League again, so I don’t think he could turn that down and Madrid would be crazy to not try and sign him.

“He could even sign a pre-contract with them from January onwards, but Liverpool can’t lose him for free. He’s way too good for that to happen and it would be ridiculous business for Liverpool to allow him to leave on a free transfer.

“I’m sure Liverpool are trying to keep him, but as the clock’s ticking and that Real Madrid are interested in him, then it’s only going against Liverpool at this moment in time.”

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Van Dijk is another in the final 11 months of his current arrangement and Johnson said the 33-year-old would leave a gaping hole if he departed: “I would be alarmed if he left,” he added. “He may not be the same player we’ve seen over the past six years, but he’s still Virgil van Dijk. He’s still a massive character, the team’s not the same when he doesn’t play and he’s still got a few good years still in him.

“It would be a big, big loss to the club, the fans and his teammates too. He’s still world class and I think it would be a huge loss for Liverpool if he left.”