Ex-Man United star tells Mourinho best way to use Arnold

Former Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley has tipped newly appointed Real Madrid manager José Mourinho to transform Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role at Real Madrid, suggesting the 27-year-old could become the club's modern-day David Beckham.

​The England international is currently preparing for a campaign under Mourinho's stewardship, a season expected to be defining for his career trajectory at the Santiago Bernabéu.

​Alexander-Arnold arrived in Spain last summer, widely celebrated as one of the best right-back playmakers in world football. However, persistent questions regarding his defensive frailties have followed him to LALIGA 

​Speaking in a recent interview, Bardsley advised Mourinho to push the elite crosser further up the pitch, as a way to mitigate the defensive shortcomings. 

The former Scotland international drew a parallel to David Beckham, who transitioned into a deeper, creative midfield role during his iconic tenure with Los Blancos between 2003 and 2007. 

​"I love Trent Alexander-Arnold, but I would be shocked to see him in a Manchester United shirt but it will be interesting to see what happens to him at Real Madrid, whether Jose Mourinho fancies him or not," Bardsley stated.

"We talk about his defending being an area where he needs to improve, but he creates so many chances, and Madrid have so many willing runners that you could just play him on the right in midfield. 

“He’d play the role David Beckham used to play for Real, pinging balls for Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior to run onto because Trent is finding you no matter what."

​Bardsley further emphasised that leaning into Alexander-Arnold's world-class distribution would perfectly complement Real Madrid's blistering attacking pace.

​"I think Mourinho will look at that and carve out a different sort of role for him, and it’d suit him down to the ground with the amount of time he’d get on the ball and the passes he could play.

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea at all, but I can’t see him coming back to England to play for Manchester United. I can see him playing in a way that makes him the new David Beckham. Just not at United."

​This shift could be precisely what Alexander-Arnold needs to reignite a career that has recently stalled.

​Despite his undeniable technical brilliance, the Englishman struggled to adapt to the rigour of Spanish football during his debut 2025/26 campaign at Real Madrid. 

His inconsistent form and defensive lapses ultimately cost him his place on the international stage, culminating in the bitter disappointment of being excluded from England's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.