Carlo Ancelotti outlines Real Madrid transfer plans as Trent Alexander-Arnold on shortlist

Liverpool is at in the balance, as his contract extension remains unsigned.

is lurking with intent and could swoop in come January, with boss Carlo Ancelotti hinting at imminent transfer discussions. Meanwhile, continue to impress both on the pitch - leading the Premier League and Champions League with an impressive 14 wins from 16 matches - and off it, engaging in vital contract talks with three stars: , , and .

The latter's situation is particularly resonant with fans due to his local roots, earning him the moniker 'the Scouser in the team'. Alexander-Arnold has been with Liverpool for two decades, and while he's previously kept negotiations private, he's also expressed a desire to stay.

He said in September: "Look, I have been at the club 20 years now, I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public. And this one won't be either. I want to be a Liverpool player this season (as a minimum) is what I will say."

Yet, nearly two months on, there's still no deal securing his services past the current season. As Madrid's form takes a nosedive, including a crushing 4-0 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona and slipping down to 18th in the Champions League pecking order, while also contending with an injury crisis, speculation from Spain suggests the team might push its transfer ambitions forward to January. When approached about such transfer talk on Friday, the Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti, remained tight-lipped.

Ancelotti's stance was clear: "We will talk about new signings in the coming months. This is not the moment to talk about signings."

Everybody at Los Blancos knows luring the right-back away from his lifelong team in the middle of the season is a tough ask indeed. Alexander-Arnold would carry a hefty price tag even before his contract runs out, but Liverpool's top brass have shown no signs of going that route just yet.

Regardless, as long as the Reds haven't locked down a deal with their man, they can't prevent chitchat with interested parties once those crucial last six months of his contract kick in.