Liverpool have rejected an approach from Real Madrid to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold on a permanent deal in January.
The Spanish side made contact with the Anfield hierarchy, but their interest was immediately rebuffed on Tuesday.
The conversation did not reach a stage at which numbers were mentioned, with Liverpool offering no encouragement to Real, as their focus is solely on winning the Premier League title.
An emphatic response underlines Liverpool’s determination to keep Alexander-Arnold in the short-term and the stance appears to kill off the possibility of him leaving in January.
Liverpool want to keep him long-term and have been in negotiations with the player and his representatives for several months over an extension to his existing deal. However, there remains the prospect of the England international moving to the Bernabéu in the summer.
Alexander-Arnold is out of contract at the end of the season and from January 1 can officially speak to foreign clubs about a free transfer. Real will now take that opportunity to speak to the right back and it will then be left to Alexander-Arnold to decide whether he wants to leave his boyhood club.
Liverpool have not received any indication that he will leave. The player responded to claims in the Spanish media over the weekend that he had given Real his word about a transfer by making a talking gesture when celebrating his goal in Sunday’s 5-0 win over West Ham United.
Real made their move after a season-ending injury to Dani Carvajal left them short of a recognised right back. They would have been prepared to make a cut-price offer for Alexander-Arnold, but even though there is a risk that he could leave for nothing in the summer, Liverpool resisted any temptation to enter negotiations.
The club’s sights are trained on winning the title in Arne Slot’s first season at the club and Alexander-Arnold has been an important figure in their surge to an eight-point lead at the top of the standings. They face Manchester United in their next match on Sunday.
All a bit mad. Thoughts?