Former Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has been warned he may not be Jose Mourinho's first-choice right-back at Real Madrid, with the Spanish club closing in on Denzel Dumfries.
The England international endured a turbulent debut season at the Bernabeu following his move from Liverpool last summer, as injuries and inconsistent form hampered his campaign. Those struggles ultimately cost him a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the upcoming World Cup.
Mourinho's appointment was confirmed after he flew from Lisbon to Madrid on Wednesday, with his contract officially commencing at the start of July. Meanwhile, Real Madrid have activated the £17.3million release clause in Dumfries' Inter contract, with the Dutchman reportedly set to sign a four-year deal.
Former Premier League striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Dumfries could leapfrog Alexander-Arnold in the pecking order. He told 10bet: "If it's Jose Mourinho, it is most likely that his chances are really big because Mourinho likes his defenders to defend first. We all know Trent's quality, but Trent's quality is going forward." However, he added that the competition provides a "luxury" for Mourinho with two different types of right-back.
Alexander-Arnold featured 30 times last season as Real Madrid missed out on La Liga to Barcelona, battling Dani Carvajal for the starting berth. His exclusion from the England squad also drew concern from Gary Neville, who questioned why a "generational talent" is being left out, though he acknowledged World Cups are often won by the best defensive teams.
