Carragher backs Alexander-Arnold return to Liverpool as Real Madrid relegate him to third choice

Jamie Carragher has urged Liverpool to bring Trent Alexander-Arnold back to Anfield, arguing the club’s need for a creative right-back outweighs any grievance over the 28-year-old’s departure — even if he deserves “plenty of stick” for leaving in the first place.

Alexander-Arnold’s difficult start to life at Real Madrid has deepened under José Mourinho, who returned to the Bernabéu this summer. The England international did not come off the bench during Real’s El Clásico victory at Barcelona on Sunday, sitting behind Denzel Dumfries and Federico Valverde — a central midfielder — in the right-back pecking order.

“I’d have him back,” Carragher said on The Overlap. “Give him plenty of stick, [because] I think he made a mistake. I think he made a big mistake. But, as I said, if something benefits Liverpool Football Club going forward… We’ve definitely missed his creativity.”

Carragher was direct about what Alexander-Arnold’s standing at the Bernabéu signals. “At the moment, he’s actually third choice right-back for Real Madrid. They’re playing a midfield player at right-back, so even in El Clásico, Dumfries, the first-choice right-back, comes on as a sub. So when you’re third choice at a club, they’re obviously not wanting you. Move on.”

There may be a short-term opening after Valverde picked up an injury during the Clásico and played through the pain barrier before eventually being replaced. Mourinho praised the Uruguayan’s commitment after the match, saying: “He got injured, he wanted to keep going and push himself to his limits. He gave everything while he was on the field.” The nature and severity of Valverde’s knock has not yet been confirmed.

Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool at the end of the title-winning 2024/25 season. Since his departure, the right side of defence has been an area of concern for the Reds, with centre-back Ronald Araujo deputising in the position. Carragher acknowledged Araujo’s form — “Ronnie has been fantastic” — but maintained that Liverpool’s ability to build play from full-back has suffered without Alexander-Arnold’s range of passing.

Whether Liverpool would move for a player they allowed to leave on a free, and whether Alexander-Arnold would be willing to return, remains to be seen. But with Mourinho showing little sign of integrating him into his plans, the door to a reunion appears more open than it did at the start of the season.