How previous Liverpool stars who joined Real Madrid fared: Could Alexander-Arnold be next? | OneFootball

Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to be linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid with the Liverpool star out of contract at the end of this season.

It is no secret that Florentino Pérez, the president of Real Madrid, maintains the desire to assemble as many of the world’s greatest football players as possible. The modern-day incarnation of ‘The Galácticos’ already benefit from the services of numerous world-beaters including Kylian Mbappe, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham.

Liverpool and Real Madrid are two of the most prestigious clubs in world football and so it is no surprise that many have made the switch from Merseyside to the Spanish capital in the past. It is a journey that has tempted some of the Reds’ best in the past and the glory of Los Blancos may now lure across Alexander-Arnold, a lifelong Liverpool fan, academy graduate, and future captain if he stays.

Here are the Liverpool players who have left for Real Madrid in the past, and how they got on…

Xabi Alonso (£30 million / €34.5 million) August 2009

Xabi Alonso playing for Real Madrid (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images via OneFootball)

Xabi Alonso is now making waves as one of the best young managers in the world, but not so long ago he was controlling games on the pitch. The Spanish midfielder joined the Reds at at the age of 23, and in his first season with the club he scored a critical equaliser on a famous night in Istanbul, as Liverpool came back from three goals down in the Champions League final. They won the European Cup that year and the FA Cup in the next, before again reaching the Champions League final in 2007, although falling short on this occasion. Alonso was pivotal in this successful Liverpool side and so it was big news when he departed in 2009.

Alonso joined Real Madrid in a transfer window where they also secured the signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Karim Benzema – a spectacular list. After leaving Anfield, the Spaniard would also enjoy success at the Bernabeu, claiming titles in the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the Champions League. The midfielder stayed at Madrid for a triumphant five years before heading off to another of Europe’s biggest clubs in Bayern Munich. Perhaps one of few players at Anfield to demonstrate passing capabilities equal to Alonso’s since his departure, Alexander-Arnold would hope to match him by claiming every available trophy should he join the Spanish giants.

Álvaro Arbeloa (£3.5 million / €4 million) July 2009

Álvaro Arbeloa playing for Real Madrid (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images via OneFootball)

Álvaro Arbeloa was an accomplished right-back who managed 98 appearances for Liverpool during a two-and-a-half year spell at the club, and came off the bench during their 2007 Champions League final defeat. Arbeloa came through Real Madrid’s academy as a youngster and rejoined them in 2009 just a week before Alonso made the same switch. The full-back spent the next seven years in the Spanish capital, where he was often a bit part player but served his part in a La Liga triumph, alongside two Champions League and Copa del Rey trophies.

On the pitch, the similarities between Arbeloa and Alexander-Arnold largely start and end with their shared position. The Spaniard was a traditional right-back, disciplined and did the simple things well, not known for his attacking prowess. Meanwhile, the Englishman has reimagined the role, becoming central in Liverpool’s attacking patterns with his exceptional vision and passing ability, also possessing an eye for goal. Arbeloa would eventually be replaced by Dani Carvajal in the Madrid starting lineup, the man who Alexander-Arnold now could well succeed.

Michael Owen (£8 million / €12 million) August 2004

Michael Owen playing for Real Madrid (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images via OneFootball)

Michael Owen broke through the ranks at Liverpool and established himself in the first team as a teenager, a trail that Alexander-Arnold has already followed. In 2001, the 22-year-old goalscorer became just the fourth Englishman to be awarded the Ballon D’Or and he remained the sole winner to come from the Premier League until Rodri’s 2024 triumph. Netting 158 times in just 297 games for the Reds, Owen was a firm fan favourite when he decided to head to the capital of Spain, in a move that could serve as a warning to Alexander-Arnold.

Things did not work out for Owen with Los Blancos, even though he managed 13 goals from 26 starts. He struggled to nail down a starting spot in Madrid’s star-studded side and stayed for just a solitary season, a trophy-less one which is rare in Real Madrid’s rich history. The Englishman wanted to return home and his Liverpool legacy would be most damaged by the moves he made after his spell in Madrid. After an injury-ridden two years in Newcastle, he would land at Liverpool’s arch rivals in Manchester United, impacting his reputation with his former team and their fans. Once a hero to Liverpool, following his move to Real Madrid and what happened subsequently, Owen is no longer as celebrated at Anfield as he otherwise might be. This is a fate that Alexander-Arnold would surely not want to share, as he has garnered a special relationship with much of the Liverpool fanbase.

Steve McManaman (Free) July 1999

Steve McManaman playing for Real Madrid (Mandatory Credit: Ben Radford /Allsport via OneFootball)

Steve McManaman is another local lad who came through the ranks at Liverpool and became a regular starter as a 19-year-old. The wide player quickly developed into one of the best in his position, making 364 appearances in eight years for the Reds, winning both the FA Cup and League Cup. He also achieved some records for the club, including making the most assists for Liverpool in a Premier League season – a record that he still holds, besting Alexander-Arnold who is in joint-second place on the list. After failed contract negotiations and much transfer speculation, akin to current happenings, McManaman signed a pre-contract with Real Madrid in January 1999.

The England international spent the next four seasons in Madrid, having a totally different experience to that which Owen would later have. Arriving shortly before the ‘Galácticos’ period, the winger would end his first season in Spain by scoring a cultured volley in a Champions League final victory and also helped his side to the La Liga trophy. In his third season, the Englishman scored in a huge El Classico semi-final at the Camp Nou on the way to another Champions League triumph, although he was eventually phased out of the side during his last year. As much as Owen’s story could serve as a warning to Alexander-Arnold, McManaman’s triumphs could be an inspiration.