Billboard of Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold appears in Madrid but summer announcement makes reason clear

A billboard of Trent Alexander-Arnold which has appeared in Madrid has caused some panic among Liverpool fans amid the defender’s links to Real Madrid. The Liverpool-born star is entering the final months of his contract at Anfield and is free to speak to clubs outside of England from January, where he can agree a pre-contract that would allow him to complete a free transfer.

Real Madrid’s desire to recruit Alexander-Arnold has been no secret, with some suggestions even made that his England teammate Jude Bellingham has been aiming to convince his friend to join him in the Spanish capital. The billboard of Alexander-Arnold, which was an advertisement for fashion brand Guess, caused a stir amongst some Liverpool fans with it driving claims that it was a signal of a potential move to Real.

However, the appearance of the billboard is just poor timing for those Liverpool fans with a more nervous disposition. The advertisement has also been in Milan and Amsterdam over the summer with Alexander-Arnold joined by model Iris Law on the billboard. The photos were first published in the summer after it was announced that Alexander-Arnold would be the face of the brand’s 2024 Summer collection. In a number of pictures, Alexander-Arnold helped showcase the Guess AirWash technology which is claimed to be a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional stone washing. Air and bubbles to replicate the stone-washed look which hugely reduces the amount of water and energy needed compared to the conventional stone-washing process.

Talks are ongoing with the player over a new deal, with discussions also underway between Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah as they are also out of contract at the end of the season. Speaking about what he wants to achieve in the game, Alexander-Arnold declared in October that he wanted to win the Ballon d'Or.

He said: "I believe I can win the Ballon d'Or. I want to be the first full-back to ever do it. It's only the morning after you retire that you're able to look at yourself in the mirror and say you've given it everything you have got. It doesn't matter how many trophies you win or medals you have got, it matters about what you have given to the game and if you reach your full potential. I've heard potential being thrown around with my name since the age of six. If you reach that potential and you know you have and you've given everything to maximise that potential and be the player you believe you can be, which is one of the best ever, then you'll be happy. It doesn't matter how many trophies you win, I guess. Do I have the potential to be that? For sure. I believe it. Some people may call me deluded but I believe I can."

Madrid have in the past plucked Liverpool academy graduates from the Reds first team with the likes of Steve McManaman and Michael Owen heading to the Santiago Bernabéu back in 1999 and 2004, respectively.