In the middle again - but Mourinho says Alexander-Arnold 'not a midfielder'

ByElizabeth Conway

Spanish shot newsman astatine the Bernabeu

It's the question that conscionable doesn't look to spell distant - tin Trent Alexander-Arnold truly enactment successful midfield?

Gareth Southgate played him determination for England during Euro 2024 earlier ending the experimentation aft lone 2 radical games.

Jurgen Klopp's full Liverpool gameplan relied connected his quality to measurement into the mediate and spray passes around... albeit from a starting presumption of right-back.

And present Jose Mourinho has go the latest manager to dabble, picking the 27-year-old successful midfield for Real Madrid's Champions League triumph implicit Inter Milan connected Tuesday.

Having struggled to found himself arsenic Real's first-choice full-back since moving to the Bernabeu past summer, could this beryllium the infinitesimal helium yet clicks successful the mediate of the park?

"He has played midfield with England and Liverpool... but helium is not a midfielder," insisted Mourinho aft his side's edgy 2-1 win.

"He has played precise well. He has interpreted what helium needed to truly well, tactically.

"Both him and Valverde person worked precise good astatine this level."

So portion Mourinho was "very grateful" for Alexander-Arnold's efforts successful the middle, don't expect to spot him play determination connected a regular basis.

The erstwhile Liverpool player's inclusion successful midfield was mostly circumstantial, with suspensions for Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva leaving Mourinho abbreviated connected options.

Alexander-Arnold lined up alongside Federico Valverde but had a mixed evening, creating 2 chances and attempting much crosses than immoderate different Real subordinate - but failing to triumph a tackle. His passing accuracy was besides down astatine 83.3%.

He was substituted soon aft Inter pulled 1 backmost connected 77 minutes, prompting whistles astir the stadium - though this could good person been vexation Madrid supporters felt astatine their team's show alternatively than astatine Alexander-Arnold individually.

It was the archetypal competitory lucifer successful which Alexander-Arnold and chap right-back Denzel Dumfries had started together. He started some for a pre-season affable against Fiorentina, with Alexander-Arnold operating astatine right-back portion Dumfries played further guardant connected the aforesaid side.

It is wide Mourinho inactive doesn't person a definite starting right-back, truthful successful the aforesaid mode Alexander-Arnold had to combat to commencement with Dani Carvajal past season, helium is doing the aforesaid this play with Dumfries.

But BBC Sport understands the Portuguese has been impressed by the England international's performances, values and the versatility helium brings to the squad.

Indeed, Mourinho views Alexander-Arnold arsenic antithetic from galore accepted full-backs due to the fact that of his quality to determination into cardinal areas and lend to attacks from midfield positions.

His passing, crossing, done balls and set-piece transportation stay among the strongest parts of his game.

While Southgate's attempts to person him into a cardinal subordinate astatine Euro 2024 yet ended successful him being dropped from the team, Alexander-Arnold has had immoderate occurrence determination successful the past.

In June 2023, helium was handed the England fig 10 garment for a qualifier successful Malta, a crippled which the Three Lions won 4-0 - and successful which Alexander-Arnold himself scored from midfield.

"I haven't played it excessively much, but it feels comfortable," the 24-year-old told Channel 4 erstwhile asked whether this was a presumption helium could spot his aboriginal in.

"It feels natural, I volition accidental that. It's determination I tin spot myself playing."

Southgate continued to flirt with playing him successful that presumption during the people of the adjacent 12 months, before abandoning the plan aft an underwhelming 1-1 gully with Denmark. Alexander-Arnold was brought disconnected earlier the hour-mark.

After Tuesday's triumph implicit Inter, Mourinho admitted the presumption inactive caused immoderate difficulties.

"He has mislaid immoderate balls due to the fact that it is not the aforesaid to play successful this presumption compared to astatine right-back," helium said.

"The strength of carnal enactment is rather difficult. He has a antithetic engine. He has fixed 100%. He near the transportation with thing near to give."

Watch highlights of each Champions League crippled from 22:00 connected Wednesday connected BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There volition besides beryllium a Champions League Match of the Day connected BBC One connected Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.