Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti drops Trent Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool transfer hint

Fresh comments from Carlo Ancelotti suggest Real Madrid will not attempt to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold in January , despite Dani Carvajal suffering a season-ending injury earlier this month.

Carvajal ruptured two ligaments and a tendon in his right leg during Los Blancos' win over Villarreal on October 5, leaving Ancelotti extremely short on defensive options.

Madrid currently only has five fit defenders, and two of those players, Fran Garcia and Ferland Mendy, are left-backs. Antonio Rudiger and Eder Miltao are the only natural fit center-backs in Madrid's fit squad, while Lucas Vazquez is the only genuine right-back who is available.

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Madrid has made Alexander-Arnold a top summer transfer target ahead of the expiry of the right-back's contract at Liverpool in June 2025.

It was reported by Spanish outlet Sport earlier this month that Madrid could look to reach an agreement in the January transfer window after the injury to Carvajal. Speaking on the Walk On podcast, however, Liverpool expert James Pearce described that claim as "absolute nonsense", and Ancelotti's comments tally with Pearce's verdict.

Ancelotti said: “We have Lucas Vazquez, we trust him. Then there’s Eder Militao. I see him well as a right back, yes. I have not asked for new signings in January as last year we managed the situation well. Signing a player who will be good for Real Madrid is not easy. At the moment we are not thinking about it (signing a player in January).”

Meanwhile, it was reported by DaveOCKOP earlier this week that Alexander-Arnold's preference is to stay at Liverpool . The report said that talks between the Reds and Alexander-Arnold over a new deal are "progressing well" and that both sides are confident a deal will be done.

The news comes after it was reported by The Athletic that Madrid has made Alexander-Arnold, who is into the final nine months of his current Liverpool deal, its No.1 summer transfer target at right-back ahead of the likes of Pedro Porro of Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong.