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Trent Alexander-Arnold applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield(Image: (Photo by Steven Halliwell | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Following Trent Alexander-Arnold's recent announcement that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, it won't be long before he inks his name onto the dotted lines to officially become a Real Madrid player.

The 26-year-old ended a season-long saga surrounding his future on Bank Holiday Monday when he finally broke his silence on his future and revealed his intention to leave Anfield at the end of the season.

Alexander-Arnold, who signed for the Reds when he was just six years old, said his decision to leave the Reds at the end of the season was "easily the hardest" he has ever had to make.

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But that didn't stop supporters from making their feelings clear towards the defender in the closing stages of Sunday's 2-2 draw with Arsenal, as he was booed in the 67th minute when he replaced Conor Bradley.

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The England international was part of a triple change by Arne Slot, alongside Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister, and even after his introduction, his every touch was jeered by the Anfield crowd despite Liverpool pushing for a winner.

In the aftermath of Sunday's sour episode, Slot insisted he would continue to select Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool's final games of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, with the defender under contract until June 30.

However, the 26-year-old could depart Merseyside sooner than first planned, as reports in the national media earlier this week claimed Real Madrid have approached Anfield officials about the possibility of Alexander-Arnold being released from his contract a few weeks earlier than its current expiry date so he can play in the opening stages of next month's Club World Cup finals.

FIFA has confirmed that there will be an additional transfer window this summer in order to facilitate teams who are competing in the new-look, 32-team competition.

Competing teams will be able to sign and register players for the group stage fixtures from June 1 to June 10, with the transfer window then shutting for five days before reopening as normal on Saturday, June 15.

However, players signed after June 15 cannot be registered until the knockout stages of the competition at the end of June.

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For Real Madrid, then, it means if they want Alexander-Arnold in time to be able to feature in their opening game against Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal on June 18, they will have to agree a deal for the defender's early release from Liverpool.

On Wednesday, it was claimed the Spaniards asked the Reds to release Alexander-Arnold from his registration at the end of May at no extra cost, pointing to the fact that they would be saving heavily on his rumoured £180,000 per-week wage packet for the final month of his contract.

Liverpool, though, are said to be holding out for a fee of roughly £850,000.

In the event that Liverpool and Real Madrid are able to reach an agreement over the terms of a premature defender for the No.66, it would spell bad news for Liverpool's Premier League rivals, Chelsea and Manchester City.

The duo have qualified for the inaugural finals in the United States due to their Champions League wins in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

But their hopes of winning the tournament and landing the £94m prize money would be dealt a significant blow if Alexander-Arnold was able to feature for Madrid throughout.

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Alexander-Arnold's availability in Madrid's group stage encounters against Al-Hilal, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg would go some way to helping prepare him for the more taxing knockout games against the likes of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City in the event that Madrid advance from Group H.

Indeed, with the defender on the books, Madrid would be a more dangerous proposition and surely fancy their chances of beating Chelsea and Manchester City to the Club World title and the lucrative £94m prize money that comes with winning this summer's competition.


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