Liverpool are safe...for now! Real Madrid shelf transfer pursuit of Trent Alexander-Arnold as Los Blancos decide against January moves

Carlo Ancelotti's side has been dealing with a series of injury setbacks in defence, with Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. Additionally, David Alaba has only just returned to action following his own spell on the treatment table. However, despite these concerns, Real Madrid have informed Ancelotti that no new signings will be made which means Alexander-Arnold will stay at Merseyside until the summer, according to reports from Marca.

Real Madrid had explored the possibility of securing Alexander-Arnold this month, with initial hopes of negotiating a deal in the region of €15 million. Some reports even suggested the Spanish club was willing to increase their bid to €25 million, but Liverpool made it clear they had no intention of entertaining offers for their academy product in winter. Nevertheless, Real Madrid are said to have an agreement in principle with Alexander-Arnold to join them on a free transfer in the summer.

With Carvajal sidelined, Lucas Vazquez remains the only natural option in that position but has struggled against quality teams. Midfielder Fede Valverde and young defender Raul Asencio are being considered as makeshift right-backs, while academy prospects Jesus Fortea and Loren Aguado could also be drafted in if needed.

Despite Ancelotti’s repeated calls for reinforcements, Real Madrid’s hierarchy appears unwilling to change their traditional stance of staying away from the winter market. However, it places significant pressure on the Italian manager to navigate the remainder of the season without additional defensive support, especially with the Merengues fighting for silverware on multiple fronts.