It is now official that Trent Alexander-Arnold will join Real Madrid on June 1 on a six-year contract. However, the 26-year-old defender's contract would have ended naturally on June 30: Real Madrid did pay Liverpool a fee to allow them to sign him one month earlier, and that way he can play in the FIFA Club World Cup starting in mid-June.
How much did Real Madrid pay Liverpool for an early exit of their player? There are conflicting reports. According to what sources told BBC, the club has paid 10m euros (£8.4m) for him to play early in the competition in the US, which would consist of at least three games (in the group stage) and as many as seven matches if Real Madrid reaches the final.
From Spain, sources tell a different story: according to sources from AS, Real Madrid was not willing to pay more than 5 million euros for him. Whatever the case, it is a big money to have the player as early as possible, playing for a competition that, if they win it, would give Real Madrid 140 million euros...