Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta learns 'exit' chances as rumours of shock January move for former Liverpool star ramp up

Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is not contemplating a move to either Arsenal or Liverpool ahead of January, the latest report has revealed.

The current international break will be a welcome relief to the Gunners, who lost 3-0 against Brighton & Hove Albion in matchweek five of the Premier League season.

Mikel Arteta will be keen to pinpoint exactly what went wrong in that game, and while his side conceded three goals, a bigger concern may be that his players produced sparingly little in the final third.

Arsenal's only meaningful chance in that match came in the second half through Kai Havertz, but the Londoners were already 3-0 down at the time, so it would be understandable if the head coach was keen to find new ways of creating opportunities.

TEAMtalk claim that the Gunners are showing active interest in Real right-back Alexander-Arnold, who is also a target of former club Liverpool, though the Englishman is not yet considering a move away from Spain.

Arsenal have arguably built the best squad in world football when it comes to their defence and midfield, but their attack has lacked a creative spark for some time.

The Gunners allowed Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard to leave the Emirates in the summer of 2026, with their only attacking addition Christos Tzolis.

There has been a distinct lack of creativity in the squad since Granit Xhaka left the club in 2023, and replacing his passing ability will be key if the Londoners are to maximise the forwards that are still in the squad.

Alexander-Arnold may have struggled since moving to Real Madrid in 2025, but that does not diminish his immense quality in possession.

The right-back was the main hub of creativity at Liverpool, and he at times rivalled the likes of Kevin De Bruyne during his time in the Premier League, and he would significantly elevate Arsenal's threat in the final third.

The fact that Alexander-Arnold is behind Denzel Dumfries in the pecking order at Los Blancos should not necessarily be a concern given boss Jose Mourinho is known for his pragmatic style of play.

However, a bigger issue with the 27-year-old is that he has become increasingly injury prone in recent years, with the full-back having suffered nine separate injuries since the start of 2023-24.

That list includes four hamstring injuries, as well as two ligament issues in his knee, so Arsenal must carefully weigh his risk of injury against his quality before making a potential move in the coming windows.

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