Liverpool have made a Real Madrid star a transfer ‘target’ as Trent Alexander-Arnold looks set to join the Spanish giants this summer.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, is reportedly close to signing a five-year deal with the 15-time European champions, potentially leaving a significant void in Liverpool’s defense ahead of the 2025/26 season.

In a surprising development, Defensa Central claims that the Premier League champions-elect are eyeing a Real Madrid player valued at around £83 million.

Due to long-term injuries to key defenders like Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, and David Alaba, Carlo Ancelotti has had to deploy midfielders such as Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni in defense. However, this season has also seen the unexpected rise of a potential future star.

Raúl Asencio made his La Liga debut for Real Madrid against Osasuna on November 9 and has since become a key figure in the defense alongside Antonio Rüdiger.

According to The Athletic, the 22-year-old is set to extend his contract with Madrid until 2029, with a new release clause of £83.7 million (€100m), doubling the previous amount.

Despite Liverpool’s reported interest, Football 365 states that Madrid president Florentino Pérez is determined to keep Asencio at the club and prevent him from joining another elite team.

Carlo Ancelotti, 65, had high praise for Raúl Asencio before deploying him at right-back in Real Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Real Betis on March 1.

“He has the quality to play there [right-back]. He’s a different kind of right-back compared to Lucas [Vázquez] and Valverde,” Ancelotti said ahead of the match. “If you have a winger like Rodrygo, you don’t need a fullback who pushes forward as much. He’s fantastic defensively.”

Back in February, Ancelotti also acknowledged Asencio’s rapid rise, admitting, “Raúl was a surprise to everyone, really. He is a surprise to me too.”

The young defender has attracted attention beyond Liverpool, with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain also reportedly interested in securing his signature.

Any potential transfer developments could be influenced by the future of Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, whose contract is set to expire this summer.