Jude Bellingham told he's 'the final piece in the puzzle' for Trent Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid as ex-Liverpool star admits England pair's friendship could make deal a reality

Alexander-Arnold has less than 12 months left to run his Liverpool contract and from January 1, 2025, he will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with any potential suitors. This opens the door for Real Madrid to swoop in and the lure of playing for one of the biggest clubs in world football could be too tempting to turn down for the England international.

While Alexander-Arnold has boyhood connections to Liverpool and may want to finish his career there, but Glen Johnson believes Bellingham's influence could sway his decision in favour of a move to the Spanish capital. The duo have built a close-knit friendship since they spend ample time together during international breaks with the England national team.

In an interview with Betfred,former Liverpool defenderJohnson said of Alexander-Arnold's links to Madrid: "The club is 95% of the pull itself but of course, if he speaks to Jude and Jude tells him how great it is there, then that could make his decision final. Let’s face it, if Real Madrid come calling, then that’s where most players will want to go. Jude could be the final piece in the puzzle when it comes to Trent making his decision, but I believe Trent would be up for the deal anyway, regardless of whether Jude is there or not."

Amid the growing speculation, Alexander-Arnold has hinted that his desire to win trophies will heavily influence his next career move. And Johnson believes that if the primary concern is adding more silverware to his trophy cabinet, Real Madrid will be the ideal destination.

"Real Madrid are guaranteed to win things," he said. "So for Trent, it’s never going to be about money at that level because everybody’s paid very well, so if it’s trophies that he wants, then Real Madrid will guarantee that, but Liverpool fans would love to see him stay and fight for trophies at Anfield.”

While Liverpool’s immediate focus is on domestic and European competitions, the looming uncertainty over one of their key players will undoubtedly remain a hot topic in the months leading up to January. However, in the short term, the focus is on a third-round fixture in the League Cup against West Ham on Wednesday evening.