Real Madrid make shock Trent Alexander-Arnold transfer request to Liverpool

Real Madrid have approached to try and secure 's early release - but they are unwilling to offer the Reds a transfer fee for the outgoing England star and want them to release him for free.

Alexander-Arnold, 26, announced last week and is expected to join the Spanish giants on a free transfer once the season ends .

While Real stand to land Alexander-Arnold for free, there has been plenty of speculation that they would try and thrash out a deal with to sign the defender early so he can participate in next month's Club World Cup. As things stand, the outfit have a major right-back issue ahead of the tournament and would like Alexander-Arnold to play.

It has now emerged, as first reported by , that have asked the Premier League champions to release Alexander-Arnold early for free.

The Bernabeu hierarchy approached Liverpool last week after Alexander-Arnold confirmed that he would not be staying with 's new Premier League champions.

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But while Anfield's powerbrokers were expecting contact to lead to an offer, there has been no actual offer from Alexander-Arnold's future employers.

It's said that Real hope Liverpool will relent and give Alexander-Arnold the green light to depart before the end of his contract on June 30. The Club World Cup starts slightly earlier on June 14.

The only potential benefit to Liverpool could be that Alexander-Arnold would forfeit the final month of his salary to press through such a move. Both he and Real Madrid would need Liverpool's blessing for him to feature in the Club World Cup as the Reds will hold Alexander-Arnold's registration until the end of June.

Alexander-Arnold, who has been on the books of his boyhood club for over 20 years, was booed by some Liverpool fans on Sunday during what was his first appearance since he publicly announced his intention to leave the club.

Despite that response, Slot insists he will not exile Alexander-Arnold from the group for Liverpool's final two games of the season, explaining on Sunday: “I don't think there's any possibility whatever can happen that can take the edge of us winning this 20th league title. The thing I consider is I want to win a game of football and if we think we can win with Trent, I owe it to his team-mates and to the fans, because they (Liverpool) hired me to win as many games of football as possible.

“And if I think there's a better chance of winning with Trent, then I will (pick him). If I think it's a distraction or whatever can happen for us not to play a good game of football, then I might, might, might make another decision.

“But I think Trent showed today why I brought him in because he was very close with a few fantastic crosses for us to win the game.”

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