New season, new boss - will Alexander-Arnold be key figure at Real Madrid?

Trent Alexander-Arnold featured in 35 of Real Madrid’s 62 matches in all competitions last season

More than 14 months after leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid, Trent Alexander-Arnold will soon begin his second season with the Spanish club under a third manager in Jose Mourinho.

The 27-year-old right-back arrived with huge expectations.

When signing him, Real Madrid regarded him as one of the most versatile defenders in the world and one who could influence games through his passing range, crossing ability and experience in managing high-pressure moments.

However, his first season was disrupted by injuries, managerial changes and the difficulty of adapting to a new league and environment as he failed to make England’s World Cup squad.

Now, after encouraging signs during pre-season, Alexander-Arnold will hope to finally establish himself as a key figure in the Spanish capital in the forthcoming campaign.

Alexander-Arnold made 21 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid in 2025-26

Real Madrid paid Liverpool a reported 10m euros (£8.4m) for Alexander-Arnold, releasing him from his contract on 1 June 2025, a month early.

But an eagerly awaited debut campaign never reached the heights many expected.

Two separate injuries affected him. A hamstring issue last September sidelined him for seven weeks, while a thigh problem in December kept him out for a further two months.

That denied Alexander-Arnold the sustained run of games needed to build momentum and a connection with supporters.

Overall, he featured in 35 of Real Madrid’s 62 matches across all competitions last season, but was not first choice, starting 27 times as he shared the right-back role with club legend Dani Carvajal.

However, the defensive doubts that plagued him throughout his Liverpool career remained part of the conversation in Madrid - even as his quality in possession continued to stand out.

He showed glimpses of his undoubted ability, but there was a feeling among some supporters that they had not yet seen enough of Alexander-Arnold to judge his impact.

By the end of a season which had Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa in charge of Real as they failed to win a major trophy, he had begun to show signs of his best form - finishing the campaign strongly before thanking supporters for their backing in a message on social media.

“Madridistas you have welcomed me with open arms.” he wrote. “From the first day I arrived you have had my back. It took me a few months to find rhythm and settle in the new environment but I feel completely at home now.

“I will take a good break and put the work in over the summer. I promise we will bring trophies back to this amazing club next season.”

Alexander-Arnold played 90 minutes against Fiorentina and Leganes in pre-season

As one of only a handful of Real players who did not feature at the World Cup, Alexander-Arnold has enjoyed a full pre-season under new boss Mourinho, who replaced Arbeloa in June for a second spell at the Bernabeu.

BBC Sport understands the Portuguese has been impressed by the England international’s performances, values and the versatility he brings to the squad.

Mourinho views Alexander-Arnold as different from many traditional full-backs because of his ability to move into central areas and contribute to attacks from midfield positions.

His passing, crossing, through balls and set-piece delivery remain among the strongest parts of his game.

Alexander-Arnold has also spoken positively about the opportunity to work with the ex-Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham manager, describing it as a privilege.

“I have always admired the coach,” he said. “I’ve played against him a couple of times, and it’s a pleasure to work with him and his team.

“It’s intense. The principles and the level of demand are very high, so I’m looking forward to seeing how, the more we get to know each other, the more we learn and the more he can teach us.

“We’re all willing and eager to learn and improve. I’m sure he’ll teach us many things and help us win trophies this year.”

Real Madrid signed Netherlands full-back Denzel Dumfries on a four-year deal

Competition for places is nothing new at Real Madrid, where virtually every position is contested by world-class players.

While Carvajal has left after his contract expired, the arrival of Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan will maintain the challenge Alexander-Arnold faces for a starting place.

The Netherlands international, 30, offers physicality, athleticism and defensive solidity.

However, during their recent 2-2 friendly draw with Fiorentina, Mourinho chose to start both players - Alexander-Arnold operating at right-back, while Dumfries played further forward on the same side.

Alexander-Arnold also took responsibility for set-pieces and moved into midfield areas during build-up play, highlighting the tactical flexibility Mourinho may want from him.

The increased competition may also provide the motivation for Alexander-Arnold to rediscover the form that made him one of Liverpool’s most influential players during a period where the Reds lifted the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.

Consistency will be the key for him as Mourinho looks to shape a squad capable of challenging for domestic and European success again.

For Alexander-Arnold, this season will also represent a great chance to establish himself at the club and force his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England plans.

Scott and Antony sent off in pre-season friendly

Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Real Betis’ Antony were sent off after a confrontation during a friendly match in Seville, which ended 2-2.

The flashpoint came just before half-time after Betis’ Nelson Deossa kicked the ball at Bafode Diakite after being fouled by the Cherries’ defender.

It sparked a brawl between players from both sides with former Manchester United winger Antony and midfielder Scott pushing each other before they were both shown a red card by the referee.

Marcus Tavernier had given Bournemouth the lead in the 41st minute with Cucho Hernandez equalising for Betis in the 57th minute.

Evanilson put Bournemouth back in front, before Pablo Fornals levelled again for the La Liga side late on.

The Cherries’ final pre-season friendly is against German side Mainz on 15 August (14:30 BST) before they begin their Premier League campaign against Manchester City on 23 August.

Life as a Wag in the transfer window

“Owen was on the phone to the manager and his agent while I was in labour. They waited for me to give birth and then he went out on loan pretty much as soon as I was out of hospital.”

Owen Dale’s loan deal wasn’t to a local club, but to Portsmouth - a city more than 200 miles away. His partner, Jessica Beaumont, had never even been there.

And the pair had only just got the keys to a house they had bought. They would end up staying in it for just one night.

“Since living together, we’ve moved five times in five years,” says Jessica.

“You have to be prepared for anything in the transfer window. But it’s also a really fortunate position to be in at a young age.”

This period - when clubs are permitted to buy, sell and loan players - takes place twice a year, in January and during the summer, for clubs in the Premier League, the English Football League (EFL) and the Women’s Super League (WSL).

While a select few stay in one place throughout their career, for most players moving from club to club is just part of life in the modern game.

Jessica met Owen when he was at Crewe Alexandra. A move to Blackpool soon followed.

“I didn’t get together with him because he was a footballer so I never considered the footballer life - that he might just have to move at the last minute,” she says. “We just met and we clicked.”

But it soon became apparent that dealing with almost constant uncertainty would be part of that life.

The move to Blackpool was a loan, with an option to buy, so for six months - during which Jessica was pregnant with their son Xavier - they did not know whether he would be staying there or heading back to Crewe.

Blackpool decided to sign Owen, but he was soon out on loan again. This isn’t uncommon, with loan deals a way for clubs to help young prospects gain first-team experience and get regular playing time elsewhere.

“When the move to Portsmouth happened it really hit me - I had to quickly realise that ‘OK this is now my life’,” says Jessica.

Just before Owen’s loan deal to Portsmouth the couple had bought their first house together in Congleton - a town close to Jessica’s family in Stoke on Trent, and commutable to Blackpool.

“We spent one night in there - we hadn’t even unpacked,” she says.

They decided a 10-hour round trip on Owen’s day off in the week to see his newborn son was not an option.

“We thought ‘if he’s not playing well because he’s tired, what’s the point in doing this’?” says Jessica, who adds that they ended up renting out the Congleton house and have been living in rented accommodation themselves ever since.

She also had to quit her job.

“I was finishing my law degree and had a job at the time - I had to say to them I wouldn’t be coming back from maternity leave,” she says.

Post-natal complications also made it difficult for her to travel at the time.

“I had Owen on the phone basically saying, ‘I’ve done a couple of house viewings. I’ve chosen this one. This is where we’re going to be living’ and showing me on FaceTime,” she recalls.

“In that moment I did feel really out of control.”

Uprooting her life at short notice and leaving her family behind was challenging and Jessica remembers spending a lot of time alone in Portsmouth when Owen was at away games.

But she remembers lots of positives from that time too, including when she became friends with another player’s partner.

“I was so fortunate that she would often stay with me when Owen was away,” she says.

“I say to her all the time that I’ll appreciate that time forever because I was just so isolated. Our schedules were the same - when Owen went away her partner was also away - I didn’t have to be fully alone and she got it.”

Owen, now 27, has played most of his career in League One, with two stints in the Championship when he was with Blackpool and Oxford United.

Last season was spent on loan at Plymouth Argyle and he is currently a free agent - this means he is not tied to any club by a legal contract. Owen can now join a new team without a transfer fee because no former employer owns his registration rights.

Many of his moves have been on deadline day and he says he is “very aware of the sacrifices” his family make.

“There’s always the risk that a move might not work,” he says. “So I might uproot my whole family for this next venture and it all goes south. Over the years I’ve learned that until there’s a contract signed on the dotted line, you could end up anywhere.”

For now, Jessica’s career in law is on hold, she instead has a job in social media and works from home.

She also posts about her experiences on TikTok, regularly using #wag and #waglife.

“My career can be picked up at any time - whereas his career is right now and you’ve really got to take every opportunity,” she says.

“As much as people say it’s a glamorous lifestyle you do make sacrifices so your partner can have their dream and get themselves as far as they can in football. At the end of the day, as much as I’m involved, it’s his career. That means in order for me to support him properly I can’t get emotionally involved.”

This includes not getting too emotionally attached to where they live.

“We usually rent newer houses that are a blank canvas so we can make them our own, although this last season the accommodation was provided furnished by Argyle,” she says. “We put a lot of Xavier’s toys and garden stuff in storage and referred to our Plymouth accommodation as ‘the holiday house’. It can be hard when he asks us to get things like his trampoline which we don’t have with us.”

“When Owen was at Oxford he had one year left on his contract and I loved it there,” she says. “But the best thing was for him to go and get game time somewhere miles away. So we moved.”

While Premier League footballers can earn tens of thousands of pounds a week - sometimes hundreds of thousands - life in the lower leagues can be very different.

“When you think ‘Wag’ [players’ wives and girlfriends] and you think ‘footballer’, both of those terms come with this stereotype that our lives are easy,” Jessica says. “People also put League One players in the same bracket as Premier League players. In the Premier League they’re often set up for life - we can’t live in that way because we have to prepare for life after football.”

Adding to the uncertainty of where they will be playing is also the possibility of relegation or injury.

“When we were at Portsmouth, Blackpool was still his parent club and they got relegated,” says Jessica. “Owen wasn’t even involved that season, but his wage was still affected. You have to be prepared for everything. You just can’t live outside of your means. But it’s still a really fortunate position to be in. Luckily, Owen’s been good with injuries. There are some players who get injured in the last month of the season and they’re out of contract. In football things can be really positive or really negative.”

The uncertainty also affects their children - four-year-old Xavier and two-month-old Etta.

“Now that Xavier is growing up - he’s fast approaching school age - another thing that will have to be added into the mix is his stability,” says Jessica.

Even normal things like organising his recent fourth birthday party aren’t always straightforward.

“We couldn’t plan to have a party in Plymouth with balloons and cakes etc because we didn’t know if we were going to be there,” she says. “Instead we planned a party near my family in Stoke-on-Trent - we needed to make something work regardless of what happens with Owen’s job.”

“As much as I worry about Xavier and Etta, I also think how amazing it’s going to be for them when they’re older to be able to tell their life story and say they’ve lived in all these different places. I think it’s teaching them a good life lesson that they don’t need to be tied to one place.”

She says they have made every move a positive experience.

“We’ve said to Xavier that we might be moving soon and when we do we’re going to get his bike back out of storage,” says Jessica. “That way he knows that moving is a possibility and hopefully he’s not thinking about what he’s going to lose but what he’s going to gain.”

“The fortunate thing for us is that Xavier loves football. He gets a lot of excitement as well from the new strips and the new chants and all of that kind of thing.”

So, does Jessica have any tips for people in a similar situation?

“The main thing for me personally - and what I’ve learned first hand - is the importance of keeping your own identity outside of football,” she says. “If you get too wrapped up in it, it only puts more pressure on your partner. If you can get a hobby, a routine or even a work-from-home job, that can help - things that can move with you.”

Being sensible financially is also important.

“I’d also say that if you have a season where you get promoted, try not to change your lifestyle and to bank the promotion money so that you have as much stability as you can,” she adds.

“In our house, I de-clutter maybe once a month,” she says. “This helps me because I don’t have control over Owen’s career. But what I do have control over is making sure that if and when anything does happen, the house is ready to be packed up and moved. When it’s the transfer window I will plan in one-week blocks - that gives me that little bit of certainty in a situation where I have no control.”

She admits “it can be hard” but “on the flip side it’s so exciting”.

“We’ve lived in places that we never would have lived in. And that’s exciting for a relationship,” she adds. “You know, with some relationships you can get bored. In football, you don’t get bored!”

Man City agree deal to sign Marseille keeper Rulli

Manchester City have agreed a deal to sign Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille for £1.7m.

The 34-year-old returns to Etihad Stadium - where he spent the 2016-17 season without making a first-team appearance - and has signed a two-year deal.

Rulli famously scored a penalty in Villarreal’s 2021 Europa League final victory over Manchester United, before denying opposite number David de Gea to decide the marathon shootout.

He has won eight caps for Argentina and was part of the squad that won the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa America.

Rulli has also had spells at clubs around Europe including Real Sociedad, Montpellier and Ajax.

He comes in as a replacement for England goalkeeper James Trafford, who left City to join Leeds in a deal worth up to £45m earlier this week, and will be understudy to number one Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Tielemans cameo against PSG hints at Man Utd future

Youri Tielemans joined Manchester United on a deal running until June 2031

The sample size was only 26 minutes.

Yet the little combinations between Youri Tielemans and Bruno Fernandes after both were introduced in the second half of Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain in Gothenburg drew an appreciative response from senior figures at the club.

With much made of United’s activity - or lack of - in the transfer market this summer, it was good timing that Tielemans could make his debut when Mason Mount, arguably the club’s player of pre-season, needed to be replaced after just 20 minutes.

Head coach Michael Carrick told Norwegian broadcaster VG post-match that Mount had come off as a precaution after taking a hefty blow to his foot. The former Chelsea midfielder walked freely past reporters to the team bus an hour after the final whistle.

Nevertheless, Tielemans was a surprise signing when Manchester United triggered a previously unknown £35m clause in the Belgian’s contract at Aston Villa to agree a five-year deal.

There was a lot of debate in the immediate aftermath about how much football the 29-year-old, who made his professional debut for Anderlecht when he was just 16, had played.

It obscured his talent.

Against PSG he did not do anything particularly special.

There were a couple of 45-yard cross-field passes that found their intended targets. There were some simple first-time lay-offs to team-mates within 10 yards.

There was also a short sprint just outside the United area to close down dangerman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia when Tielemans recognised the PSG star could be about to take possession within shooting distance.

He got there, won the ball and played a simple pass, taking the ball out of harm’s way.

This isn’t really what got the United contingent purring.

They were reacting to the little passes between Tielemans and Fernandes, which allowed United to ease their way out of trouble or move up the pitch.

Fernandes was the key man last season as United finished third. Nine goals and 21 assists was a decisive contribution in returning the club to the Champions League after a two-year absence.

Tielemans showed in his brief cameo he can take some of the pressure off the Portuguese.

“Youri has consistently been one of the most outstanding midfielders in the Premier League throughout the past seven years,” said director of football Jason Wilcox on Tielemans’ signing.

“He will add further composure, creativity and leadership to our squad.”

“He has all of the technical qualities, as well as the ambition and mentality, to thrive at Manchester United.”

If Wilcox reflects on those words as United head off to the Republic of Ireland for their week-long training camp in Maynooth, he can be quite pleased with himself.

It was only 26 minutes, but on that evidence, he has got it spot on.

Carrick has confirmed Marcus Rashford will rejoin the Manchester United squad for their trip to the Republic of Ireland.

Rashford, England team-mate Kobbie Mainoo and Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez are the final three players to return for United after the World Cup.

Although it was not expected Rashford would return to the club when he joined Barcelona on loan in July 2025, the La Liga champions failed to trigger a £26m option to buy the 28-year-old at the end of the season.

Despite interest elsewhere, there has been no deal, meaning Rashford will return to United for the first time since January 2025, when he moved to Aston Villa after falling out with former manager Ruben Amorim.

United are training at the plush Carton House hotel in Maynooth and have a friendly with Leeds United at Croke Park on 12 August.

They complete their pre-season programme against Amorim’s new club AC Milan in Wroclaw on 15 August, when Rashford could make his first United appearance since December 2024 if Carrick decides Wednesday is too soon.

A former team-mate, coach and manager of Rashford, it has been felt if anyone can patch up the relationship between club and player - which includes his number 10 shirt being given to Matheus Cunha who is also due to be on the trip after a minor injury ruled him out of the Gothenburg encounter - it is Carrick.

“I’ve played with him. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history,” Carrick said.

“We have got a full squad this week in Dublin. We fly straight there and have a few days where we have the whole group back together. Marcus is part of that, and Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martinez]. We look forward to seeing them.”