The wait could finally be over at Mestalla. All eyes are on one man ahead of Real Madrid’s LaLiga clash with Valencia: Trent Alexander Arnold.
The England full back, signed amid much fanfare last summer, is in line to make his long awaited return from injury. If he features, it won’t be a last minute roll of the dice. His recovery has been meticulously managed, with a targeted return date pushed back from last week’s Rayo Vallecano game to ensure he’s fully ready. His appearance would mark a belated start to 2026, as he remains the only player in the squad yet to play a minute this calendar year.
Club insiders have repeatedly preached patience. “There’s no rush with him, he wasn’t signed for a single day,” has been the consistent message from the Bernabéu, a stance taken after the defender suffered two serious injuries in quick succession against Real Sociedad in September and at Athletic Bilbao in December. Those setbacks prompted the controversial reinstatement of club doctor Niko Mihic in January, with preventing similar muscle issues now a top priority.
Madrid have also moved to shut down persistent rumours, largely swirling in the English press, that manager Arbeloa is unconvinced by the player or that the club are already looking to cut their losses. Both claims have been firmly dismissed internally. The club reassured the player immediately after his last scan, with a devastated Alexander Arnold told clearly not to rush. He remains, they insist, a cornerstone of the long term project.
That project needs him now. With Dani Carvajal still out, the right flank awaits its commander. In Valencia, he’ll be thrown straight into the deep end, with support expected from Fede Valverde ahead of him in midfield. The benchmark is his brief, dazzling showing in Bilbao before injury struck, it was there he provided his first Madrid assist, a delicious ball for Kylian Mbappé’s opener inside seven minutes. That flash of his unique quality, a hallmark of his Liverpool years where he averaged a goal contribution every three games, is what Madrid paid for.
Above all, he’s an elite attacking weapon. At Anfield, he was directly involved in 115 goals. It’s that final third execution and set piece mastery Madrid have missed. He’s worked in isolation for months, navigating a managerial change and building fitness, all under the watchful eye of Arbeloa, a coach who knows the right back role intimately from his own days at Anfield and the Bernabéu, and who understands the mentality of a player forged on Merseyside.
The triangle of player, manager, and club now hopes this third attempt, after two false starts is the charm. A fit and firing Alexander Arnold could be the final piece for Arbeloa’s side. The stage is set at Mestalla for lift off
