Trent Alexander-Arnold to start second season at Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho
More than 14 months after leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid, Trent Alexander-Arnold will soon begin his second season with the Spanish club under a third manager, Jose Mourinho. After a debut campaign interrupted by injuries and adaptation issues, Alexander-Arnold has shown encouraging signs in pre-season and aims to establish himself in Madrid.
Real Madrid paid Liverpool a reported 10m euros (£8.4m) for Alexander-Arnold, releasing him from his contract on 1 June 2025, a month early, and signed him with the expectation that he would bring versatility, passing range and crossing ability. Alexander-Arnold made 21 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid in 2025-26 and featured in 35 of the club's 62 matches across all competitions, starting 27 times as he shared the right-back role with Dani Carvajal. Two separate injuries — a hamstring issue last September that sidelined him for seven weeks and a thigh problem in December that kept him out for two months — denied him a sustained run of games and he did not make England's World Cup squad.
By the end of the season he finished strongly and thanked supporters on social media: "Madridistas you have welcomed me with open arms." he wrote. "From the first day I arrived you have had my back. It took me a few months to find rhythm and settle in the new environment but I feel completely at home now. "I will take a good break and put the work in over the summer. I promise we will bring trophies back to this amazing club next season."
As one of only a handful of Real players who did not feature at the World Cup, Alexander-Arnold completed a full pre-season under Mourinho and played 90 minutes against Fiorentina and Leganes. Mourinho replaced Alvaro Arbeloa in June for a second spell at the Bernabeu and, BBC Sport understands the Portuguese has been impressed by the England international's performances, values and the versatility he brings to the squad. Mourinho is said to regard Alexander-Arnold as different from many traditional full-backs because of his ability to move into central areas and contribute to attacks from midfield positions.
Alexander-Arnold has spoken positively about working with Mourinho, saying: "I have always admired the coach," he said. "I've played against him a couple of times, and it's a pleasure to work with him and his team. "It's intense. The principles and the level of demand are very high, so I'm looking forward to seeing how, the more we get to know each other, the more we learn and the more he can teach us. "We're all willing and eager to learn and improve. I'm sure he'll teach us many things and help us win trophies this year." His passing, crossing, through balls and set-piece delivery remain cited as among the strongest parts of his game.
Competition for the right side remains high: Dani Carvajal left after his contract expired and Real Madrid signed Netherlands full-back Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan on a four-year deal. The 30-year-old Dumfries offers physicality and defensive solidity, yet Mourinho started both players in the recent 2-2 friendly draw with Fiorentina, with Alexander-Arnold at right-back and Dumfries deployed further forward. In that match Alexander-Arnold took responsibility for set-pieces and moved into midfield areas during build-up play, demonstrating the tactical flexibility Mourinho may want.
The increased competition and Mourinho's demands mean consistency will be important as the manager shapes a squad aiming to challenge domestically and in Europe. For Alexander-Arnold, the coming season is presented as a clear opportunity to establish himself at Real Madrid and to force his way back into Thomas Tuchel's England plans.
