According to a report by Madrid Universal on Tuesday October 20, 2026, Jose Mourinho reportedly remains unconvinced by Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has struggled to establish himself as Real Madrid’s first-choice right-back despite entering his second season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 28-year-old England international arrived with a reputation for exceptional passing, crossing and chance creation from deep positions. However, inconsistency and defensive weaknesses have prevented him from securing a regular starting place.

According to Defensa Central, Mourinho has not seen enough to reconsider his assessment of the former Liverpool defender. The Portuguese manager continues to favour alternative options, leaving Alexander-Arnold’s position uncertain.

Mourinho reportedly requested Denzel Dumfries after arriving at Real Madrid, appreciating the Dutchman’s defensive qualities and attacking contributions. That preference has complicated Alexander-Arnold’s situation, although Dumfries has struggled to reproduce his impressive Inter Milan performances.

Despite Dumfries’ inconsistent displays, Alexander-Arnold has failed to capitalise on opportunities to strengthen his position. Consequently, competition for the right-back role remains open, with Mourinho continuing to consider several tactical alternatives.

Mourinho explored using both full-backs together during pre-season, potentially combining Dumfries’ defensive strength with Alexander-Arnold’s creativity. However, developments within the squad have made that arrangement increasingly difficult to implement consistently.

Diomande’s emergence and Arda Guler’s involvement in wide attacking positions have complicated Alexander-Arnold’s prospects. Federico Valverde’s versatility also gives Mourinho another option, allowing him to select different profiles according to the team’s needs.

Dumfries has accumulated 568 minutes under Mourinho, but his position has also appeared less secure recently. This uncertainty could create opportunities for Alexander-Arnold if he demonstrates greater consistency and improves his performances.

The Champions League encounter against Inter Milan provided another opportunity to test Alexander-Arnold’s adaptability. With several players unavailable, Mourinho deployed him in central midfield, a position he had previously occupied for England.

However, the experiment reportedly failed to produce the desired outcome, raising questions about Alexander-Arnold’s ability to control matches under pressure and withstand physical challenges. His midfield performance offered little encouragement.

Alexander-Arnold’s clearest route back into the starting lineup therefore remains at right-back, where his distribution and crossing can benefit Madrid’s attack. Nevertheless, he must improve defensively to convince Mourinho.

Until the former Liverpool star demonstrates that his attacking strengths can be delivered without exposing the defence, his position in Real Madrid’s starting lineup will remain uncertain rather than guaranteed.