Trent Alexander-Arnold agreement reached as Spanish media issue brutal Real Madrid verdict

Trent Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool to join Real Madrid last summer, but the Spanish media have issued a brutal verdict on his debut campaign in La Liga with Los Blancos

Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold during a Real Madrid training session.(Image: David S. Bustamante/Real Madrid via Getty Images)

Now nine points behind Barcelona in the La Liga standings and having been knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich, it appears that Trent Alexander-Arnold's first season with Real Madrid will be trophyless.

Leaving Liverpool to try something new, Alexander-Arnold departed before the expiry of his contract to join up with his new side ahead of the Club World Cup. Real Madrid fired Xabi Alonso in January, though, and the Reds' academy graduate has been in and out of the starting XI, in part because of injuries.

Alexander-Arnold has made just 24 appearances for Real Madrid so far this season. The 27-year-old has provided five assists in all competitions in that time.

"In his first season at the Bernabeu, Trent Alexander-Arnold has shown more weaknesses than strengths, especially defensively," MARCA wrote in its verdict on the player this week.

"He has played significantly more than Dani Carvajal (1,382 minutes to 858), but that hasn’t been enough to make England remember him," it added, referencing the fact that Thomas Tuchel appears set to leave him out of the Three Lions squad for the World Cup.

"Between injuries, doubts about Tuchel and the preference for Ben White and Tino Livramento, the English full-back for Real Madrid faces the final stretch of the season with a lot to prove in order for his national team coach to include him among the 26 World Cup players."

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid struggled to compete with Bayern Munich.(Image: Ion Alcoba Beitia/Getty Images)

"I think it was crying out for that Trent-like quality in terms of that creation you need against Uruguay, against Japan," Steven Gerrard said during the March international break.

"You need someone who's going to be able to open the door, or someone off the bench who can come on and improve things if things are not going how you want them to."

Tuchel opted to go with other options, though, and earlier this month, AS described Alexander-Arnold as the "Achilles' heel" in the Real Madrid defense as it was eliminated in Europe, with former Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz impressing.

"He's too passive for Bayern Munich's opening goal (even if most of the blame lies with goalkeeper Andriy Lunin) and, above all, he loses Harry Kane far too easily for the Germans' second," it said.

"Going forward, he was better: driving to the end line and delivering dangerous low crosses. His biggest issue remains defensive solidity."

There was a theory that Alexander-Arnold would benefit from playing Spain when it comes to his defensive deficiencies. However, it doesn't appear to be playing out that way.

The ex-Liverpool man was often criticized for being too slow to react defensively when he was at Anfield, though those accusations were often massively overblown.

Liverpool.com says: Alexander-Arnold's ability to cross and pass in the final third far outweighs what he lacks in defense. Unfortunately, though, he is best deployed in a team that is playing well, which Real Madrid has struggled with on a consistent basis this season.