How Club World Cup may complicate Real's Alexander-Arnold move

Normally, this potential transfer would be a simple case of allowing Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool contract to run out on 30 June and then Real Madrid would conclude the deal.

But this is no ordinary summer.

World governing body Fifa has changed its rules to allow clubs competing in the Club World Cup to sign players before the tournament, from 1 to 10 June.

That would require Real and Liverpool to strike a deal to allow Alexander-Arnold to complete his switch early and be available for the new, expanded tournament in the United States, which runs from 14 June to 13 July.

Alternatively, Real could wait and register Alexander-Arnold mid-tournament, when clubs are allowed to change their squads in a short window between 27 June and 3 July.