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Trent Alexander-Arnold wears No66 at Liverpool.(Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Trent Alexander-Arnold will not be allowed to wear his favourite No66 shirt if he joins Real Madrid because La Liga rules bar players from wearing anything higher than No25, the maximum squad size that clubs can register.

The strict rules have also prevented teams from retiring shirt numbers in honour of club legends such as Lionel Messi at Barcelona or Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.

And the only players allowed to wear shirt numbers over No.25 are youth players, who don’t have to be registered in the same way.



For example, Raul Asencio has been permitted to wear No35 during this campaign for Real.

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Alexander-Arnold has worn No.66 since starting out in the academy at Liverpool but he has worn No2, No7, No8 and No10 for England.

However none of those are currently available either with the only vacant shirt numbers No12, No24 and No25 - although other members of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad could be moved on this summer.

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Three Real players are set to have their contracts expire this season - potentially freeing up three more numbers.

That includes No10 Luka Modric, No17 Lucas Vazquez and No18 Jesus Vallejo.

When David Beckham joined Real Madrid from Manchester United he was forced to ditch the iconic No7 he wore at Old Trafford and took up the No23 shirt at the Bernabeu - though that was also the number worn by Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls.

Alexander-Arnold, who is out of contract at Anfield at the end of this season, is yet to make his decision public but reports suggest he has already agreed a five-year deal worth around £12.5m per year - with the high salary coming beca use Real do not have to pay a transfer fee for the England star.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is presently out injured.(Image: Getty Images)

The 26-year-old is currently recovering from an injury sustained against Paris Saint-Germain in the recent Champions League round of 16 defeat on penalties at Anfield.

It is unclear when he will be passed fit to return, though his expected departure has been met with fury by many supporters.

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