Sky Sports reporter drops 'surprise' Trent Alexander-Arnold transfer update as Real Madrid move edges closer

Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy has dropped a new update on the future of Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold amid interest from Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold has decided to join Real Madrid next summer, according to talkSPORT.

However, it has been claimed elsewhere that Liverpool are unaware of such a decision, with Alexander-Arnold still under contract to them for a further three months.

As it stands, Real can negotiate a pre-contract agreement with the right-back now, which would then come into effect on July 1 if signed.

To sign him in time for the Club World Cup, for which squads must be submitted by June 10, Real would have to pay a fee to Liverpool in order to sign him.

Now, Sky Sports reporter Reddy has revealed that both parties - Liverpool and Real - have 'shown surprise' at stories that have emerged this week, with no major developments in the saga since January.

Back then, it was reported that Real had launched a bid to sign Alexander-Arnold for a fee of around £20 million. Liverpool were said to have turned it down as they wanted the 26-year-old to finish the season with them, while retaining hope that he would commit to fresh terms.

Reddy writes that 'no deal has been signed, nor has a conclusion been communicated to either club'.

The Alexander-Arnold contract saga, therefore, appears set to run for some time yet - alongside the situations involving Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who are also out of contract this summer.

Van Dijk talking to Luis Campos (right) and Nasser Al-Khelaifi (left) in the Anfield tunnel (Image: Twitter/@CasseJosue)

Van Dijk has been linked with a move to PSG, and was spotted in the tunnel talking to the French club's sporting director Luis Campos and president Nasser Al-Khelaifi after their side knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League at Anfield earlier this week.

Neither Salah - who is currently the Premier League's top goalscorer for this season - and club captain Van Dijk have publicly commented on whether they intend to remain at Anfield or not.