Danny Mills has sided with Reece James in the right-back debate, saying: "I think Reece James is the better all-round player." The former England defender made that call with Trent Alexander-Arnold still very much part of the conversation after his 2025 move to Real Madrid. The point of disagreement is familiar, defence against creativity, and Mills leans hard toward the former.

Mills' case for James

Speaking to goal.com, Mills said the top level is decided by how well defenders handle one-on-ones. He added: "We're two years, 18 months away from European Championships. Trent has come back into the fold. He's an exceptional talent, we know that. But at the very, very top level, when you're getting to semi-finals, quarter-finals, and we saw this in the World Cup, it's about how you defend. If you're a defender, you have to be able to defend one-on-one."

That is where James comes in for him. The England full-back has five appearances in 2026 and 330 minutes, which is not the volume of a nailed-on starter, but it does show why Mills sees him as a more complete option when the games get tight.

Liverpool's view after Trent left

The emotional case for Alexander-Arnold is still strong at Liverpool. Jamie Carragher said Wirtz was signed to replace Alexander-Arnold, describing him as "a unique full-back" with the passing range and creativity to match. Andy Robertson was even more direct: "I think obviously we’ve missed him as a player, there’s no doubt about that. We’ve missed him as a character as well," he told Mirror Sport.

Steven Gerrard was just as admiring, calling him "world-class" and saying it is very difficult to replace a player at his level. Liverpool's recent history gives that feeling some weight. They won the Champions League in 2019 and ended a 30-year wait for a league title in 2020, with Alexander-Arnold part of that cycle before he signed off by lifting the Premier League trophy in his final year at Anfield.

Madrid have not settled the argument yet

The Madrid side of the story is less settled. TEAMtalk reported that Alexander-Arnold has made only 41 appearances for Real Madrid and provided eight assists, and Mirror Sport said he has started four of nine games. By that count, his start rate is 44.4 percent, which is hardly the profile of an untouchable pick.

Pacojo Delgado went a step further, saying: "If Real Madrid comes calling, knowing that Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t convincing at full-back, there might be an option," in comments to TEAMtalk. That does not mean the move has failed, but it does mean the discussion around his best role has not gone quiet. Mills' view is clear enough, James looks safer when England want balance, while Alexander-Arnold remains the more divisive but still elite technician.

Madrid have not made him indispensable yet, and that keeps the debate open heading into the next round of club games.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →