Liverpool has reached an agreement allowing defender Trent Alexander-Arnold to join Real Madrid earlier than expected in a deal valued at £10 million.
The right-back was originally set to move to the 15-time European champions on a free transfer on June 30 upon the expiry of his contract. However, the Spanish club sought his services ahead of the Club World Cup tournament.
The expanded competition in the USA commences 16 days before Alexander-Arnold`s Liverpool contract concludes, meaning he would not have been eligible to be registered for the event without an earlier transfer.
Consequently, Madrid agreed to pay a fee to secure the 26-year-old approximately a month ahead of schedule. Reports suggest this amounts to over £300,000 per day.
The player, a two-time Premier League winner, will officially complete his move when a special transfer window designated for the Club World Cup opens on Sunday.
Real Madrid`s payment structure involves a single sum of £8.4 million (€10 million) plus covering his wages for June, bringing the total value of the early transfer to £10 million (€11.9 million).
Liverpool successfully negotiated for a higher fee, as Real Madrid`s initial offer was reportedly only £840,000.
Alexander-Arnold is expected to sign a six-year contract with Real Madrid, reportedly earning £240,000 per week. His release clause is reportedly set at an enormous €1 billion, equivalent to £840 million.
A statement released by Liverpool confirmed the departure: “The full-back is now set to join the La Liga club ahead of the expiry of his Reds contract this summer. Liverpool will receive a fee for his services, with the deal to be concluded once the window opens on June 1.” The statement added: “Alexander-Arnold leaves Liverpool with the club appreciative and grateful for his contribution to those successes.”
Real Madrid reportedly pushed for the early transfer to have Alexander-Arnold available for their first Club World Cup fixture against Al-Hilal in Miami on June 18.
FIFA created a specific transfer window from June 1 to June 10 to facilitate squad registrations for the Club World Cup.
It is understood that Real Madrid`s need for cover at right-back, exacerbated by an injury situation, was a driving factor in seeking the early move. Midfielder Federico Valverde has been filling in due to Dani Carvajal`s injury issues.
Alexander-Arnold is anticipated to join the England squad shortly for an upcoming World Cup qualifier.
Some Liverpool fans had expressed disappointment about the prospect of losing a key player for free. While there were reports of some negative reception during a match against Arsenal, he received a warmer send-off on the final day of the season.
He became emotional during his final appearance at Anfield, having been associated with the club for 20 years since joining their academy.
He departs Liverpool having made 354 appearances, scoring 23 goals, and securing eight major trophies, including two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup, and two League Cups.
Marcus Bellamy