Trent Alexander-Arnold warned Jose Mourinho appointment will be bad news for him

Trent Alexander-Arnold will struggle for minutes under Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, says talkSPORT’s Gabby Agbonlahor.

Mourinho is poised to return for a second spell as Madrid manager as the successor to Alvaro Arbeloa, who left the Bernabeu following a trophyless 2025/26 campaign.

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And Aston Villa legend Agbonlahor believes Alexander-Arnold will lose his place in the side with the change in the dugout.

Discussing the situation with Rangers icon Ally McCoist, he said: “I’m worried for Trent, I really am. [Denzel] Dumfries has signed, hasn’t he? Or nearly signed, from Inter Milan. And he’s more of a Jose Mourinho right-back, isn’t he?

“He’s more of a strong, aggressive, quick, physical [right-back]. I don’t see Trent playing much under Mourinho.”

Alexander-Arnold joined Madrid last summer after leaving boyhood club Liverpool as a free agent, a move which didn’t go down well with the Reds fans.

He went on to make 35 appearances in all competitions this term for the 15-time European champions, becoming the seventh English player to represent the club – alongside current teammate Jude Bellingham.

But the imminent arrival of Mourinho could have serious repercussions for Alexander-Arnold, especially if Madrid do complete a deal for Dutchman Dumfries.

Mourinho has been synonymous with robust defensive football throughout his career – as exemplified by his Chelsea side conceding a record-low 15 goals en route to the 2004/05 Premier League title – and Alexander-Arnold’s defensive deficiencies have been highlighted on a regular basis.

To that end, the 27-year-old was deployed in more of a hybrid role between right-back and deep-lying playmaker towards the end of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool tenure.

That certainly played to the strengths of the 34-cap England international – who has been used sparingly by current Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel and was not included in the squad for this summer’s World Cup.

So, while his place at right-back might well be under threat, there could be a place for him in Mourinho’s system as a midfielder, where Madrid would be able to maximise his supreme ball-playing abilities.

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Alexander-Arnold also looks set to be joined by a familiar face at the Bernabeu this summer in Ibrahima Konate, with whom he won the 2021/22 FA Cup and EFL Cup under Klopp.

Liverpool announced that Konate would be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of this month, and the France centre-back is in advanced talks about a switch to the Spanish capital.

Despite the signing yet to be officially confirmed, Madrid president Florentino Perez has already said as much – on one condition: that he actually keeps his position.

Perez told Diario AS: “I can assure you that if I remain president of Real Madrid, one of the world’s top defenders, Konate, will be playing for Real Madrid from next season onwards. And he won’t be the only top defender to join us if I stay at the helm of Real Madrid.”

In post from 2000 to 2006 and again since 2009, Perez is up for re-election at the Bernabeu this Sunday (June 7).

Perez also enthused about the impending return of Mourinho, adding: “Mourinho is one of the world’s great coaches and he was very important for Real Madrid during his time with us.

“He was the coach of that famous record-breaking league season [when Madrid won the LaLiga title with 100 points]. He brought the team to very high levels of competitiveness and that was very important for everything that was achieved afterwards.

“Mourinho and Konate are my first signings [of this summer].”