Real Madrid are planning to buy a new right-back and Chelsea’s Reece James and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold are two of the best full-backs who will be up for sale.
Klopp’s exit has put question marks over Trent’s future at Liverpool whose contract expires in 2025 and Chelsea are also planning to offload players like Reece James and Conor Gallagher in order to avoid any FFP breaches.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, will be out in the market for a new right-back because Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez are both 32 years old so proper reinforcements are required for the 24/25 season. They have money to spare thanks to Mbappe’s free transfer to the Bernabeu but Florentino Perez and Ancelotti will have to make a very calculated decision on whether to go for TAA or Reece James.
Reece James vs Trent Alexander-Arnold:
Trent has been a revelation down the right flank and he along with Mo Salah has been one of the strongest duos in recent seasons. This season, the England international has had 7 goal appearances in 28 Premier League appearances and he’s also created as many as 63 chances.
Reece James, on the other hand, has only 2 goal contributions because he’s managed to play in just 16 league matches while creating only 21 chances.
Despite the lower number of games, both the full-backs are deadly going and in the Premier League, there’s no one better than these two at delivering pin-point crosses into the box at will.
However, the difference comes to notice when we compare the defensive stats for both these English players. Reece James is much more stable in and around his own box but Trent Alexander-Arnold looks very shaky when it comes to defending one-on-one situations. The situation has been so concerning that Jurgen Klopp has even tried to use in a central midfield role for a handful of matches.
In 28 league matches, Trent has made 42 clearances but despite playing only 16 matches, James has managed as many as 20 clearances. TAA has made 31 interceptions and has lost possession of the ball a staggering 567 times which are clearly not great numbers for a full-back.
Reece James, without a doubt, is a more well-rounded right-back but his constant injury woes have been a major headache for Chelsea and that’s something that even Real Madrid will look into.
Last season, James had missed 25 games due to various injuries and this campaign, he’s missed 38 games across all competitions. Whenever he is fit, Reece James is a top player but the reality is that for a 24-year-old, he gets injured way too often.
Chelsea would have loved to hold onto a player of his calibre but his injury woes are a major reason why the Blues are willing to get rid of his in the summer.
CONCLUSION:
Real Madrid need an upgrade in their right-back position before the next season kicks off and above all, they will want someone who can remain fit throughout the whole campaign and play 40-50 games without any major injuries.
Trent Alexander-Arnold might be a bit sus defensively but going forward he is one of the best and with players like Rudiger and Alaba covering his back, the Liverpool man could be the ideal signing for Real Madrid.
