Trent Alexander-Arnold's future has taken a fresh twist as Real Madrid have made a big decision this month.
Alexander-Arnold has been the subject of intense transfer speculation, with his existing contract set to expire in the summer.
He remains locked in negotiations with Liverpool, who hope to tie him down to a new contract at Anfield.
Advert
However, if the club fails to hold onto their academy graduate star, then Real are ready to pounce, having expressed their admiration for the right-back.
Real had hoped to strike a deal this month with a view to recruiting him ahead of the second half of the season.
But Liverpool rejected the Spanish giants' January offer, which came days before their Premier League showdown against Manchester United.
According to Spanish outlet Relevo, Real have abandoned their January pursuit for Alexander-Arnold and will return for him in the summer if he doesn't renew with Liverpool.
The report claims Real signing Alexander-Arnold this month is 'practically impossible' and sources close to the situation claim there is 'no chance' of accelerating the deal.
They cite Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League push and claim the club still harbour ambitions of keeping the 26-year-old beyond this season.
It's also claimed that Alexander-Arnold 'will not force' his departure under any circumstances.
Alexander-Arnold has played 27 games and scored two goals this season.
He's starred under Arne Slot's new system but endured a shaky performance against Man United, where he came under fire for his showing.
Jamie Carragher believes Alexander-Arnold's outing was affected by a bid from Real.
"I thought he was really poor," Carragher told Sky Sports. "The game couldn't have gone much worse for him, there was always going to be focus on him.
"I was expecting him to put in a performance he has put in so often where he dominates the game from right-back. He's a playmaker. I felt Manchester United's system would play into his hands, there'd be a lot of space to get his head up and put crosses in.
"I thought he'd be thinking about how everyone's talking about him negatively, and that he'd put in a really big performance. He was poor defensively, but there was nothing going forward on the ball.
"Only he knows if the talk affected him, but the fact he was so poor in the first game after Real Madrid put a bid in tells me it must have affected him."
Topics: Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid, Football
Nasir Jabbar