Real Madrid have made Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold a priority target.
The Spanish club are also considering other right-back options, including Tottenham Hotspur’s 25-year-old Spain international Pedro Porro, 23-year-old Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen and the Netherlands, and 21-year-old Spain youth international Juanlu of Sevilla.
Several sources with close knowledge of Madrid’s current recruitment plans (who, like all those cited here, asked to remain anonymous to protect their positions) said these were the players the club have identified to reinforce in the position — with Alexander-Arnold the preferred option, but one that is only feasible if he runs down his contract at Liverpool.
Alexander-Arnold’s existing deal expires in June 2025 and from January he will be free to negotiate a free transfer with other clubs. Talks over a renewal at Anfield are ongoing but when the 26-year-old was asked about his future last week when on England duty he told ITV: “I’ve entered the prime of my career right now and I don’t want to be the player who only won trophies when he was young.”
Tottenham’s Porro is also being tracked by Real Madrid (Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Madrid are also looking to reinforce at centre-back, and the likelihood of them making a signing in this position in January has grown.
One option being considered is former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, who is under contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr until 2026. Now 30, he is still a regular with Spain and played an important role in their European Championship success in the summer. However, no moves have been made for Laporte yet.
Other players being tracked are Palmeiras’ 18-year-old Brazilian Vitor Reis, who has also attracted interest from Arsenal, and RB Leipzig’s 21-year-old France international Castello Lukeba.
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Despite previous doubts, Madrid are now keen to be active in the winter transfer window, given their injury problems. Their last signing in the mid-season window was in January 2019, when Brahim Diaz arrived from Manchester City.
This has been agreed in recent meetings between the board and coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has been calling for additions since last January. Dani Carvajal’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and the delays in David Alaba’s recovery from his ACL injury have played a role in changing the outlook.
Carvajal, 32, is expected to be out until next season following the injury he suffered earlier this month. Alaba, also 32, injured his knee last December and his return date has been pushed back several times.
Recent media reports in Spain have suggested that Alaba might consider retiring — something denied by sources close to the player. Other sources around Madrid say progress in his recovery has been slower than expected, which has led to doubts about when he will be ready to come back to first-team training before the end of the year as planned, and at what level he will return.
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(Top photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
