The England defender was officially presented as a Real player last week after signing a six-year contract and taking the No.12 shirt at the Bernabéu. ..Continue Reading
Though he was initially set to leave on a free transfer, Madrid paid a fee to ensure his availability for the full Club World Cup campaign in the U.S.
Now training in Miami under new boss Xabi Alonso, Alexander-Arnold has been preparing for Real’s opening match against Al Hilal.
Speaking to the club’s media, he noted a significant shift in atmosphere and style, suggesting that the transition has already offered a refreshing change from what he was used to.
“Hot to start with but a good session with some good things,” Alexander-Arnold admitted.
“[It was] good to get a feel of the ball and a feel of the heat training in this climate so it was a good session.
“[It was] high quality. The ball moves very fast. Obviously it’s a lot different to what I’m used to in terms of the players and the style of play but it’s good and I’m enjoying the change and I’m enjoying being a part of it.
“It feels really good and I’m happy to be here to be honest.”
According to El Pais, Trent Alexander-Arnold has been described as noticeably reserved since joining Real Madrid, often sticking close to his friend Jude Bellingham as he adapts to his new environment.
Despite his quiet demeanor, the right-back praised his teammates for helping him feel at ease right from the beginning.
He gained attention for speaking Spanish during his unveiling and shared that he’s able to communicate with his teammates in the language, although some also speak to him in English to help him settle in smoothly.
“I can’t say enough about the lads and how they made me feel welcome and at home,” he continued.
“They’ve all put in a lot of effort, spoken to me, made me feel comfortable and made sure any questions I had – especially with the translations and things – they’ve helped me a lot with everything.
“I can’t thank them enough and now we’re excited for the game to start.”
On getting to grips with the language, he added: “If me or Jude are involved the lads will tend to speak in English we can understand but it’s probably, in some ways easier than what I thought it would be and in some ways harder.
“The meetings and tactical talks are all in Spanish so they take some getting used to but in terms of day to day conversation, it’s easy.
“I have a decent base level of Spanish so I can hold a decent conversation with the lads and likewise they have a very good understanding of English so yeah it’s easy to communicate.”
Wearing his first name on the back of his shirt for the foreseeable, Alexander-Arnold could even make his debut at the Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday.
Real Madrid also take on Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg in Group H.
