This is news that will infuriate Liverpool fans until the end. Trent Alexander-Arnold (27, Liverpool), who has become a "historic betrayer," wants to terminate his contract early and join Real Madrid.
British 'Sky Sports' reported on the 27th (Korea time), "Alexander-Arnold is contracted with Liverpool until June 30. However, Real Madrid wants to sign him before the club World Cup opening match on June 18."
The media explained, "Real Madrid's first match in the tournament is against Al Hilal in Miami on June 18. The International Football Federation (FIFA) has allowed a special transfer market from June 1 to June 10 for clubs participating in the club World Cup to negotiate and register contracts with players from their national associations."
Real Madrid and Alexander-Arnold want to start their relationship as soon as possible. If Alexander-Arnold waits for his contract with Liverpool to expire, he can join Real Madrid starting from the Round of 16. However, Real Madrid is thinking about having him from the group stage.
Of course, Liverpool's permission is needed. Reporter Kabe Sholhechol noted, "If they want to have Alexander-Arnold play in the club World Cup group stage, they need to negotiate with Liverpool for a contract early release process," adding, "However, Alexander-Arnold has not yet told Liverpool that he wants to leave. It has not been reported that Real Madrid has agreed to sign him once his contract expires."
Currently, Alexander-Arnold is on the verge of transferring to Real Madrid. He has been one of the defenders Liverpool has boasted about. Since joining Liverpool's youth team in 2004, he has never worn another uniform. Since his professional debut in 2016, he has recorded 349 matches, 22 goals, and 87 assists.
Alexander-Arnold has been active as Liverpool's starting right-back, known for his tremendous kicking ability. He has won championships in all competitions, including the Premier League (PL), UEFA Champions League (UCL), and FA Cup, while experiencing the peak of the team. He is also leading the team as vice-captain this season.
He has also expressed his loyalty to Liverpool numerous times. After being appointed vice-captain of Liverpool in the summer of 2023, Alexander-Arnold stated, "My goal has always been to be the captain of Liverpool. Now I am part of that process." Naturally, all Liverpool fans envisioned a future continuing with Alexander-Arnold.
However, Alexander-Arnold has not been quick to sign a renewal with Liverpool, causing frustration among fans. Despite his contract expiring in the summer of 2025, there has been no new news. Last October, he said, "Winning the Ballon d'Or is better than winning the UCL." Exhausted, Liverpool fans have started to boo Alexander-Arnold, who has been underperforming.
Ultimately, the feared situation has occurred. Alexander-Arnold is expected to wear the Real Madrid jersey as a free agent (FA) unless something unexpected happens. Major European media and journalists, including the 'BBC,' 'Daily Mail,' 'The Athletic,' Sky Sports, and Fabrizio Romano, have all reported that Alexander-Arnold is on the verge of reaching a contract agreement with Real Madrid.
Now, only the official announcement remains. Romano stated through 'Give Me Sports,' "Alexander-Arnold has taken a step closer to joining Real Madrid this summer. Now, they are only waiting to finalize the details," adding, "The verbal agreement between the parties is nearly complete. Real Madrid sent an official proposal to Alexander-Arnold last week. Now, completing the contract is only a matter of time," having previously indicated a 99% certainty.
According to Romano, Alexander-Arnold has always been Real Madrid's number one target. In last January's transfer market, Real Madrid offered 25 million euros (about 39.6 billion won) to Liverpool, but it was reportedly rejected. Nevertheless, Real Madrid has not given up and is on the verge of finalizing a summer FA transfer.
The contract period is reported to be five years, with an annual salary of 15 million euros (about 23.7 billion won). This amount does not reach that of Real Madrid's star players such as Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappe.
However, money has never been the issue. Romano stated, "From the first day of negotiations, Real Madrid clearly informed that Alexander-Arnold should decide whether to accept their proposed terms or stay with Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold's response was immediate acceptance."
Alexander-Arnold is now looking to terminate his contract with Liverpool early and join a new team. If he lifts a trophy as soon as he dons the Real Madrid jersey, the betrayal felt by Liverpool fans is expected to reach new heights.
A video of someone burning Alexander-Arnold's jersey has already been shared on social media. A fan filmed and shared the moment they set Alexander-Arnold's jersey on fire.
Seeing this, Liverpool fans are not only refusing to be quiet but are also applauding. Angry fans are insisting that Alexander-Arnold should be thoroughly excluded from wearing Liverpool's jersey or participating in the championship celebration for the remainder of the season. They are criticizing that he does not even deserve a final farewell.
On the contrary, Real Madrid fans are welcoming Alexander-Arnold. This is indeed a tremendous signing. They will have one of the world's top full-backs, Alexander-Arnold, without paying a transfer fee.
In fact, Real Madrid has previously brought in top players through FA signings. Last summer, they acquired Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for free. Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba also joined for free. Now, Alexander-Arnold is expected to be added.
Thanks to this, Real Madrid's projected best eleven for next season has become even more glamorous. 'Transfermarkt' predicts that the new starting lineup will be Vinicius Junior-Mbappe-Rodrygo, Federico Valverde-Jude Bellingham-Aurelien Tchouameni, Ferland Mendy-Rudiger-Dan Sweeney (Bournemouth)-Alexander-Arnold, and Thibaut Courtois. While only two new faces will be Alexander-Arnold and Sweeney, it is an ultra-luxurious squad.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Daily Mail, OneFootball, Fabrizio Romano, Sky Sports, Transfermarkt social media.
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