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Trent Alexander-Arnold will become a Real Madrid player(Image: Steven Halliwell | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Real Madrid have taken the unusual step of signing Trent Alexander-Arnold a month before his Liverpool contract expires.

Real face Al-Hilal, Pachuca and RB Salzburg in the group stage of the Club World Cup next month.

And in part, it is that tournament in the United States that has seen Alonso's side keen to get a deal over the line.



They will now be able to register him for the start of the tournament.

With a mid-tournament registration period available, Alexander-Arnold would have been able to join Real Madrid at the end of his contract but would miss his new side's opening three matches.

The competition could prove lucrative however and now Alonso will be able to utilise his new player from the outset.

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A maximum prize of £97m awaits Club World Cup contenders, with £29.6m to be claimed by Real Madrid just for participating in the tournament.

A group-stage win will net a team £1.5m, with additional boosts of £5.8m for reaching the last 16, £10.2m for the quarter-finals, £16.3m for reaching the semi-finals, and £31m for winning the final.

And confirmed in their statement announcing his signing that 'Alexander-Arnold will be playing for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup'.

And Real have been keen to get a deal over the line before Alexander-Arnold joins up with England next week for games against Andorra and Senegal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool celebrates winning the Premier League title(Image: undefined via Getty Images)

The player initially saw a backlash over his decision to not extend his stay on Merseyside but received a positive reception on the final day of the season.