Man United lead race to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold in biggest transfer shock since Michael Owen
Credit: Imago
Thu 8 January 2026 11:34, UK
Manchester United are the favourites to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold in a move that would rock the Premier League.
Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid at the end of last season, angering Liverpool fans in the way that he left his boyhood club.
The 27-year-old ran his contract down at Anfield, ultimately leaving in a cut-price deal so he could play the Club World Cup with Los Blancos.
Ibrahima Konate looked as if he would follow Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid by running his own deal down, but the Spanish giants have since shifted their interest elsewhere.
Alexander-Arnold has struggled to adapt to life at Real Madrid, and has been tipped by some to consider a return to the Premier League.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has informed Liverpool FC of his intention to leave the club this summer upon the expiry of his current contract.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 5, 2025
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Trent Alexander-Arnold betrayal would be to the level of Michael Owen
Alexander-Arnold is already an unpopular figure in Liverpool, despite the major honours he won at the club.
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The England international spent his entire youth career with the Reds, coming through to the first team and winning the Champions League and the Premier League twice.
While he left in a negative manner, many Liverpool fans did not begrudge him the move to Real Madrid. That attitude would certainly change if he were to follow in Michael Owen‘s footsteps, however.
The former striker also came through the academy before starring at Anfield, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2001 at just the age of 22 for his exploits.
The move to Real Madrid did not work out, however, with Owen struggling to settle in at the Bernabeu.
He would return to the Premier League with Newcastle United in 2005, and did the unthinkable in 2009 when he signed for Manchester United.
From that moment, the striker was dead in the eyes of Liverpool fans, and there would undoubtedly be a similar attitude towards Alexander-Arnold if he were to repeat the move.
Given the rise of social media in recent years, such a controversial transfer would likely produce even more vitriol towards the right-back.
Manchester United lead race for Alexander-Arnold
Incredibly, Manchester United do lead in the bookies favourites for who Alexander-Arnold will join if he does leave Real Madrid in January.
The right-back is currently injured, and will likely want to at least wait until the summer before making any major decisions on his future.
Trent Alexander-ArnoldLiverpoolAppearances354Goals23Assists92Honours6
The prospect of a move to Liverpool’s bitter rivals could well be available then, too, and it would a shocking development.
Manchester United are at 4/1 odds to sign Alexander-Arnold if he leaves Real Madrid, with Newcastle (4/1), Liverpool (15/2) and Bayern Munich (12/1) also in the race.
