Liverpool ‘offer’ £42m for TAA replacement as new club have ‘plan’ to beat Real Madrid to Reds star

Barcelona will look to beat Real Madrid to Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold as the Reds lodge an offer for his replacement, according to reports.

The Reds have made a brilliant start to the new Premier League season with Arne Slot’s accumulating 21 points from a possible 24 from their opening eight matches.

That form sees them top of the Premier League table at this early stage, leading title rivals Manchester City by one point and third-placed Arsenal by four points.

Arne Slot couldn’t have asked for a much better start as new Liverpool boss after succeeding legendary manager Jurgen Klopp in the summer.

However, the Liverpool manager has had some off-field issues to take care of since the summer with a reported lack of movement over contract situations for three key players.

Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are all into their final 12 months of their contracts with it seemingly unclear whether they will stay at Liverpool or leave on free transfers next summer.

Speculation has ramped up in recent weeks over Alexander-Arnold’s future with it now looking increasingly likely that he could leave for another club.

Reports last week insisted that Liverpool ‘already know’ that the England international is leaving amid interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid.

Real Madrid have reportedly made the Liverpool defender one of their priorities next summer but that a reported €8-10m starting price for a January transfer could see the deal happen sooner .

And now reports in Spain claim that Barcelona sporting director Deco now has a ‘plan’ to sign Alexander-Arnold ahead of La Liga rivals Real Madrid.

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Real Madrid see the Liverpool defender as the ‘perfect replacement’ for Dani Caravajal but Deco ‘has a plan to snatch the Englishman from Real Madrid and make a statement’.

The Barcelona sporting director is ‘determined to offer Alexander-Arnold a sporting project where he will be undisputed’ as at Real Madrid the Englishman ‘would have to compete with Carvajal for a place in the starting eleven’.

It is understood that ‘although Real Madrid remains an attractive option due to its history and recent titles, the possibility of being an essential player at Barcelona and having a guaranteed place in the starting eleven could tip the balance’.

And now reports in Spain also claim that Liverpool have identified their replacement for Alexander-Arnold with the Reds making an ‘offer’ of €50m (£42m).

Liverpool hope that the France international has the ‘tools’ to meet the challenge of replacing the academy graduate, who has become a mainstay at Anfield in recent years.