Liverpool fans won’t be the least bit surprised by the manner in which Carlo Ancelotti fielded questions about Real Madrid’s interest in Trent Alexander-Arnold.
On New Year’s Eve, it was confirmed that the Champions League holders had made an approach to the Merseysiders about the 26-year-old, only to be swiftly rebuffed by Anfield chiefs, although Paul Joyce reported that Los Blancos are set to try their luck again for the Reds’ vice-captain.
Melissa Reddy has claimed that the LaLiga giants could offer £20m+ to secure the England international this month rather than waiting to get him on a free transfer at the end of his contract in June, with the Bernabeu outfit deprived of first-choice right-back Dani Carvajal for the rest of this season due to a serious knee injury.
Ancelotti held a press conference on Thursday ahead of Real Madrid’s LaLiga clash against Valencia tomorrow night, but he refused to publicly speak about any specific players with whom his club have been linked.
The 65-year-old said (via The Mirror): “January signings? It’s a bit more complicated to talk about this. We’ll see, we’ll see. Talking about this is not easy at the moment.
“I said that we will not sign anyone in January before. Look, I can’t talk about it now. This is not the time and place. We will see what will happen but I have a great squad. We have got injuries and problems with that but we are also able to overcome them.”
Ancelotti is far too experienced and accomplished a manager to get drawn into a public back-and-forth about transfer rumours, especially with a situation as high-profile as Real Madrid’s pursuit of Trent.
The dogs on the street know that the European champions are eager to pounce on the right-back’s contractual uncertainty at Liverpool by luring him to the Bernabeu, so much so that they’d even eschew the opportunity for a pre-contract deal this month to pay an eight-figure fee for his immediate acquisition.
Unlike Mo Salah, the 26-year-old hasn’t addressed his personal situation in public. Although some Reds fans on social media have interpreted that negatively, Joyce has reliably communicated that the club ‘have had no indication’ that he has any desire to leave Anfield.
Nonetheless, Trent has gone on record about his desire to win the Ballon d’Or, something that no LFC player has done in the past 23 years, during which time it’s gone to a Real Madrid star on eight occasions.
For Liverpool, the hope is that the right-back will recognise that his boyhood club may be on the cusp of something truly special this season, given their enviable positions in the Premier League and Champions League, and will find it too difficult to walk away from playing a crucial role in potential greatness.
If he were to stay put and inspire the Reds to both of those trophies (and possibly a domestic cup or two), his legacy at Anfield would endure for generations.
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