Carlo Ancelotti Makes Liverpool’s $85M Star Top Priority Signing At Real Madrid: Report

Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Liverpool FC’s key defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Real Madrid want to strengthen their defense in the summer of 2022 and Los Blancos have made Alexander-Arnold their priority signing, reported Catalan publication El Nacional.

Carlo Ancelotti-managed Real Madrid currently have Daniel Carvajal as their only recognized right-back and the Italian boss has made securing Alexander-Arnold an "urgent wish" in 2022, according to the soccer website TEAMtalk.

The 29-year-old Carvajal, who has been at Real Madrid since 2013, has been struggling with fitness issues. Towards the latter half of the 2020-21 season, he was ruled out after suffering a major hamstring injury. Even in the ongoing campaign, Carvajal is sidelined and is expected to miss at least four matches, according to Transfermarkt.

Even though Ancelotti has made Alexander-Arnold a top target at Real Madrid, it won’t be an easy task to fulfill the Italian’s wish, considering the English right-back is a vital cog in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. The Liverpool-born has played a crucial part in each of the four trophies the Reds have won under Klopp’s management, including the 2018-19 Champions League and 2019-20 Premier League.

Earlier this year, loss of form saw Alexander-Arnold lose his place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad. Despite that, he was rewarded with a new deal by Liverpool over the summer that has now tied the local boy with the club until 2025.

Alexander-Arnold, 22, joined Liverpool’s academy as a six-year-old. During his days in the club’s youth set-up, he switched from being an outside midfielder to a right-back before making his senior debut with the Merseyside club in 2016. His current market value is around $85 million, according to Transfermarkt.

With three assists in five matches, Alexander-Arnold has started off the 2021-22 campaign on a high note. Liverpool are unbeaten so far this season, clinching four wins and a draw from five league games -- a win in their opening Champions League and League Cup fixtures respectively.