As Trent Alexander-Arnold's future at Real Madrid appears to be uncertain, Liverpool could be in an awkward transfer position if he becomes available in the next few months

Liverpool may have to act fast to secure a return for Trent Alexander-Arnold, otherwise the club faces a potential nightmare scenario surrounding the full-back's future.

It comes as the defender faces an uncertain future with Real Madrid, as he appeared to slip further down the pecking order for Jose Mourinho in the past week. Alexander-Arnold signed for Los Blancos with the aim of becoming one of the best in the world, but this season has seen Denzel Dumfries picked as the preferred option at right-back, after a stop-start first season to begin with.

While it seemed as though he may be fighting for his career at the Bernabeu, recent developments have only made things tougher. Federico Valverde has seemingly made himself an option at right-back, featuring there in the team's fight back against AS Roma, before being handed a starting spot in the position against Sevilla over the weekend.

That has left Alexander-Arnold with an even greater challenge on his hands, one that could end up forcing his hand over an exit in the coming months.

Should that become the case, then a return to Liverpool becomes a natural topic of conversation. The Reds have struggled with the right-back ranks since he has left, with players unable to fit the position, or stay free from injury long enough to make it a place that doesn't need much attention.

It would be a move that works for Alexander-Arnold, freeing him from the situation with Real Madrid while returning somewhere familiar, even if he needs to win the fans back over again. And for his current club, it can cash in and move on from a signing that hasn't seemingly worked.

However, Liverpool may need to put in the groundwork now. That's because the 28-year-old's availability is only likely to spark interest from more teams than just the Merseyside outfit. Just looking at Premier League clubs, it would only be natural that a team like Arsenal would be interested in Alexander-Arnold, as he offers the sort of in-possession qualities that a team that dominates possession could use. Add to that his set-piece ability on a team that is already able to tower over every other, and it would be a matchup that makes sense for the Gunners.

Equally, Manchester City could be another possible destination. The team has often chopped and changed at right-back since Kyle Walker left, with Matheus Nunes being the more regular option there, as his midfield qualities match what is needed for that role, meaning a move for Alexander-Arnold could equally make sense. That is without thinking broader, as teams in Germany, Italy, and France could all be eyeing a possible bargain on the market, while Saudi Arabia hasn't been short of pinching a superstar name or two in their prime.

It remains to be seen exactly where the player would want to go in this scenario, but for Liverpool, it's clear that early groundwork needs to be put in to ensure that a return is possible.