Barcelona star Yamal costs Liverpool man ‘bargain’ transfer as Real Madrid move beckons

Barcelona have decided they don’t want to pursue a deal for Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold because of Lamine Yamal, according to reports.

The Reds have made a great start to the new Premier League season with their 2-1 win over Brighton last weekend seeing them take top spot, two points ahead of Manchester City, who lost their first match of the season against Bournemouth.

Arne Slot couldn’t have wished for a much better start as Jurgen Klopp’s successor with the Dutchman winning eight of his first ten Premier League matches in charge.

Slot has had to deal with lots of speculation surrounding three of his players with Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk all out of contract at the end of the season.

Liverpool captain Van Dijk said recently that he is in “discussions with the right people” but Salah and Alexander-Arnold’s futures are less clear.

And now reports in Spain claim that Barcelona will not follow up their interest in signing Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer ‘due to the preferences’ of Yamal.

It is explained that Jules Kounde’s ‘defensive solidity, combined with his ability to contribute in attack, has proven to be the ideal complement to Lamine Yamal on the right flank’.

Kounde gives the young Spain international ‘the freedom to display his attacking ability’ and Alexander-Arnold’s potential arrival from Liverpool ‘is not only perceived as unnecessary, but even as a potentially detrimental move for the young Lamine.’

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Yamal ‘seems to prefer to keep Kounde as his partner on the pitch’ and ‘that’s why it seems less and less likely for Barca to sign Alexander-Arnold.’

And it seems Real Madrid are the clear favourites to sign the England international in the summer and former Man United, Tottenham and Aston Villa scout Mick Brown insists Liverpool will already “know whether or not he’s going” at the end of the season.

Brown told Football Insider: “Liverpool will know whether or not he’s going. And if he’s definitely going, they might feel they can bring in a bit of money for him in January and bite the bullet rather than letting him go for free.

“They don’t want to lose him because he’s an important player and he’s a local boy and everything. But they have to be realistic, and if they’re going to lose him anyway, why not make some money?

“I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them cut their losses and take what they can. That money can then be reinvested elsewhere if they want to strengthen the squad.

“Liverpool aren’t flushed with money like a Chelsea for example, so if they can make some good money from his sale it will be an interesting decision.”