Mourinho hands Trent surprise midfield audition but did it pay off for Real?
Trent Alexander-Arnold is undergoing a tactical experiment under Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, testing his potential as a midfielder. While the move aims to revitalize his performance, the results remain mixed as the team navigates the Champions League.
Why it matters
Tactical shifts for high-profile players in elite clubs often influence broader football strategies and transfer market valuations.
Mourinho gave Trent a big audition in midfield. Trent Alexander-Arnold faces a decisive season when it comes to his Real Madrid future.
His debut campaign was injury-hit and underwhelming, and he struggled to make an impact in a dysfunctional, underperforming team.
There were flashes – a few trademark sexy pinged balls out to Kylian Mbappe – but he didn’t cut through opposition backlines anywhere near as routinely as he did in his Liverpool pomp.
The appointment of Jose Mourinho, followed by the signing of Denzel Dumfries, was enough to make you gulp. The Netherlands international looks far closer to the sort of defensively sound full-back Mourinho has traditionally favoured. But perhaps there is still a way in for Alexander-Arnold.
A few weeks ago, The Athletic published an eyebrow-raising report claiming that Mourinho was “keen” to use Alexander-Arnold in midfield, although “it is not the main plan”.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in