Trent Alexander-Arnold has been touted for a move back to Liverpool as he struggles to force his way into Real Madrid's side, which could make for an awkward reunion following his Anfield exit last year

Former Liverpool star Stan Collymore has suggested Trent Alexander-Arnold could make a return to Anfield - and that the fans would welcome him back with open arms.

Alexander-Arnold of course left his boyhood club last year in order to join Real Madrid, having played a major role in Liverpool’s most successful period in decades, having won two Premier League titles and a Champions League among other trophies.

The manner in which he departed left a bitter taste for a lot of supporters though. The right-back let his contract run down and announced his decision to leave before the end of the 2024/25 season, with Liverpool only receiving a fee as Real wanted to include him in its squad for the Club World Cup.

With things not quite going to plan for Alexander-Arnold at the Bernabeu though, a return to Merseyside has been touted in some corners, and Collymore believes he would be forgiven quickly by supporters.

“I think Liverpool would welcome Trent back because we’re all fickle as football fans,” Collymore told Betarades.gr.

“If he says I made a bit of a mistake, I went because I thought I’d won everything but I love this city, I love the club, and I’ve just put money into a kiddies’ venture or a young teenager’s venture back in the city of Liverpool.

“If he says I was a bit naive in my thinking that when you’re at Liverpool, Real Madrid is a step better, and if he says all the right things, and he comes in and he pings a ball 40-50 yards to somebody who puts it in the box for an [Alexander] Isak to score, he’ll be welcomed back because football fans are very, very forgiving.”

Alexander-Arnold’s move to Madrid has not worked out how he would have planned so far. His first season saw him limited to just 30 appearances across all competitions due to injury problems, while he now looks to be playing backup to Denzel Dumfries under returning manager Jose Mourinho.

Should his current fortunes continue in the same manner, Collymore thinks it is inevitable that the England international will return to Liverpool - although there’s one other club he feels could give him an alternative option.

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“He needs people to look at the end of the season and say, if he’s not getting into Real Madrid’s first team, then he’s going to have an emotional return back to Liverpool, which a lot of people will be saying,” Collymore added.

"You could also quite easily see him going the Harry Kane route and going somewhere like Bayern [Munich] who will be having him all day long. He’ll be going down the right hand side, pinging balls to [Michael] Olise, [Luis] Diaz and Harry Kane left, right and center.”