In football, no deal is truly complete until the contract is signed. Regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold's potential move to Real Madrid, negotiations are advancing rapidly and are nearly finalized, awaiting only the final agreement.

Trent Alexander-Arnold - no new contract with Premier League champions, Liverpool

Trent's contract with Liverpool expires this summer, and he has declined all efforts from the club to extend it. This is widely known, with Liverpool making several attempts yet holding onto faint hopes. However, Real Madrid is now pushing to speed up the process.

The main issues are finalizing the contract details and determining when the player will arrive in Madrid to sign. Real Madrid's primary focus is ensuring they can include the right-back for the Club World Cup, which starts on June 14, while Trent's current contract with Liverpool ends on June 30.

According to sources involved in the talks, if Liverpool accepts the outcome, they are unlikely to strongly oppose his exit, but only under specific terms.

The first key condition is that the player must formally notify the club of his decision. English sources cited by AS indicate that the relationship between the full-back and Liverpool remains amicable. 'There is still good rapport,' they state. However, they add that 'it's not overlooked that he would leave without a transfer fee.'

The second condition involves Trent agreeing to waive his June salary. As the third-highest earner at the club, this equates to approximately $970,000 (£180,000 gross per week, totaling about $11.8 million annually).

These factors would be Trent's responsibility to decide.

Compensation: Real Madrid's role in the agreement

Another condition involves Real Madrid providing a compensation fee, essentially as a gesture of goodwill. Liverpool would not allow Trent to leave for free while under contract, though the amount would be modest—under €1 million (around $970,000).

Liverpool recognizes they are losing the player on a free transfer given the situation. With this setup, they would offset part of his June salary and gain some additional compensation.

Overall, Trent's release would be valued between €1.5 million and €2 million ($1.6 million–$2.1 million), representing the cost for his departure.

The final step: Player registration

For Real Madrid, the last step is routine—officially registering the player. FIFA has established two extra transfer windows for Club World Cup participants. The first is from June 1 to June 10 (with Madrid's first game against Al Hilal on June 18), and the second from June 27 to July 3 for teams reaching the quarterfinals.

Real Madrid is targeting the first window. There is a possibility that Dani Carvajal could be ready, but he has been sidelined since an ACL injury in October and is not expected to return before the season ends, with five league games remaining.

Thus, Alexander-Arnold stands out as the perfect addition—not only for the upcoming season but also for the Club World Cup. His signing could be the crucial element Madrid needs.