Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role on El Clásico night was a cameo. Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou on 25 October, Kylian Mbappé scored twice, and the former Liverpool captain only came on after Arda Güler was withdrawn.

That is now the rhythm of his season in the Spanish capital. He has started four of Real Madrid’s 13 La Liga and Champions League matches, logged 345 minutes in all competitions and sat out each of the club’s last three games.

The thinking inside the camp, however, is that he is not after a way out.

Guillem Balague told TEAMtalk that the 28-year-old has reframed the setback as a waiting game.

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“Right now he is thinking, ‘Okay, it’s not my time yet, but it will come. I’m preparing for it,’” Balague told the outlet.

The Spanish journalist described Federico Valverde and Denzel Dumfries, the Dutch defender signed from Inter Milan in the summer, as currently ahead of Alexander-Arnold in Mourinho’s pecking order, with centre-back Éder Militão also used at right-back in a recent fixture against Sevilla. The upshot, according to Balague, is a player who wants to establish himself in Madrid and has no intention of leaving the club.

Mourinho’s message

Mourinho has not written him off. The Portuguese, confirmed by the club as the new permanent manager for the 2026/27 season, has reportedly encouraged his right-back to keep working and told him his chances will come. Alexander-Arnold remains under contract at the Bernabéu until 2031.

The 28-year-old left Anfield for a Madrid move in the summer of 2025. Fifteen months on, his starts are tied to injuries elsewhere in the squad rather than performance recalls.

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Liverpool show no appetite

A reunion on Merseyside is not being plotted from the other end either. Football Insider’s transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke reported this week that Liverpool have no appetite for a return move and that Alexander-Arnold is not on their list of transfer targets, a stance also picked up by Sports Mole.

Andoni Iraola’s side is focused elsewhere, Football Insider added, even as the Anfield club deals with its own right-back pressures. The outlet reports that Alexander-Arnold himself is not interested in rejoining his boyhood club at this stage, even as his minutes at Real Madrid shrink.

Alexander-Arnold is contracted at Real Madrid until 30 June 2031, and the January window opens with no public move in either direction.

Sources: – [Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/401882832/real-madrid-barcelona) – [Liverpool FC appoint Andoni Iraola new head coach](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/liverpool-fc-appoint-andoni-iraola-new-head-coach)

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