Third-choice? Inside Alexander-Arnold's struggles in Madrid

Trent Alexander-Arnold is currently third-choice right-back at Real Madrid – where does his future lie? Alexander-Arnold has featured in seven of the 13 matches Real Madrid have played so far this season, starting four times and registering one assist It has not been an easy start to the season for Trent Alexander-Arnold. The full-back joined Real Madrid in June 2025 with the ambition of establishing himself as the club's first-choice right-back, but the reality has been very different. The arrival of Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan this summer added more competition in the position, and now manager Jose Mourinho appears to be favouring Fede Valverde, normally a midfielder, as a starter at right-back.

It leaves Alexander-Arnold as third choice and leads to questions on where, and in what role, Mourinho sees the England international's future. Alexander-Arnold has participated in seven of the 13 games Real have played this season, though he has only started four times and has made just one assist – in a 4-0 home win over Malaga. And his involvement has notably declined over the past four games – he did not play against Roma, Sevilla or RB Leipzig and got just a couple of minutes in the Clasico, when he came on in stoppage time. Alexander-Arnold has just turned 28 and Real showed how much they