Overview
- Jose Mourinho said on Sunday that moving Valverde to right‑back was a team tactic, that the decision pains him, and that he does not expect Alexander‑Arnold to request a mid‑season exit.
- Tactical shifts and the summer signing of Denzel Dumfries have limited Alexander‑Arnold’s minutes, leaving him effectively third in the right‑back pecking order behind Valverde and Dumfries.
- Multiple outlets report Real Madrid will not sanction a sale in the January window and will reconsider the player’s future in the summer of 2027, according to journalist Jorge Picon.
- Cadena SER has reported Liverpool made a loan enquiry for January, and other clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern have been linked, but those approaches are described as reported interest rather than confirmed moves.
- Real’s early €10m payment to bring Alexander‑Arnold in and his long‑term contract through 2031 raise the financial and wage hurdles to a winter transfer, and Madrid could pursue alternatives such as Pedro Porro if the right‑back situation changes.