Andy Townsend has suggested Liverpool should think about an unusual solution if Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Real Madrid spell continues to stall: a season-long loan back to Anfield.
Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool for Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer, but his first year in La Liga has not gone as hoped. The 27-year-old has made only 14 league starts, and the limited involvement has led to questions about how settled he has really become in the Spanish capital.
Why the idea is being discussed
Townsend’s view is simple. He believes Alexander-Arnold would improve Liverpool if he returned, and he thinks the right-back’s quality would still fit what the club need. As Townsend put it, “First and foremost, purely as a player, if he came back to Liverpool, would he improve them? One hundred per cent, yes.”
He also pointed to one of Alexander-Arnold’s biggest strengths, saying he has not seen enough of the final ball at Real Madrid, even though that delivery is usually one of the defining parts of his game. That lack of rhythm, combined with competition for the right-back role, is part of why the move has not settled the way many expected.
What kind of deal did Townsend suggest?
Townsend was not talking about a permanent transfer. He urged Liverpool to consider a season-long loan, even if the fees involved were significant by modern standards. He said he would not turn his nose up at paying £5million, or even £10m, if it meant bringing Alexander-Arnold back through the door for one year.
That would be a major twist for a player who only a year ago left on a free transfer for Real Madrid. It would also be a rare case of a high-profile move being reconsidered so quickly, but Townsend’s point was clear: if the opportunity exists, Liverpool should at least think about it.
He added that a move like that would likely sting Alexander-Arnold after his Madrid switch never really got going. In Townsend’s view, it would have been a disappointment for the 27-year-old, who may have hoped for a more immediate impact after leaving Liverpool behind.
For now, it remains only a suggestion. But with Alexander-Arnold struggling for consistent starts and Liverpool still one of the few clubs that know exactly how to use him, the idea is likely to keep drawing attention.
