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

It's the question that just doesn't seem to go away - can Trent Alexander-Arnold really work in midfield?

Gareth Southgate played him there for England during Euro 2024 before ending the experiment after only two group games.

Much of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool gameplan relied on his ability to step into the middle and spray passes around... albeit from a starting position of right-back.

And now Jose Mourinho has become the latest manager to dabble, picking the 27-year-old in midfield for Real Madrid's Champions League win over Inter Milan on Tuesday.

Having struggled to establish himself as Real's first-choice full-back since moving to the Bernabeu last summer, could this be the moment he finally clicks in the middle of the park?

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

"He has played very well. He has interpreted what he needed to really well, tactically.

"Both him and Valverde have worked very well at this level."

So while Mourinho was "very grateful" for Alexander-Arnold's efforts in the middle, don't expect to see him play there on a regular basis.

The former Liverpool player's inclusion in midfield was largely circumstantial, with suspensions for Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva leaving Mourinho short on options.

Alexander-Arnold lined up alongside Federico Valverde but had a mixed evening, creating two chances and attempting more crosses than any other Real player - but failing to win a tackle. His passing accuracy was also down at 83.3%.

He was substituted shortly after Inter pulled one back on 77 minutes, prompting whistles around the stadium - although this could well have been frustration Madrid supporters felt at their team's performance rather than at Alexander-Arnold individually.

It was the first competitive match in which Alexander-Arnold and fellow right-back Denzel Dumfries had started together. He started both for a pre-season friendly against Fiorentina, with Alexander-Arnold operating at right-back while Dumfries played further forward on the same side.

It is clear Mourinho still doesn't have a definite starting right-back, so in the same way Alexander-Arnold had to fight to start with Dani Carvajal last season, he is doing the same this season with Dumfries.

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

Indeed, Mourinho views Alexander-Arnold as different from many traditional full-backs because of his ability to move into central areas and contribute to attacks from midfield positions.

His passing, crossing, through balls and set-piece delivery remain among the strongest parts of his game.

While Southgate's attempts to convert him into a central player at Euro 2024 ultimately ended in him being dropped from the team, Alexander-Arnold has had some success there in the past.

In June 2023, he was handed the England number 10 shirt for a qualifier in Malta, a game which the Three Lions won 4-0 - and in which Alexander-Arnold himself scored from midfield.

"I haven't played it too much, but it feels comfortable," the 24-year-old told Channel 4 when asked whether this was a position he could see his future in.

"It feels natural, I will say that. It's somewhere I can see myself playing."

Southgate continued to flirt with playing him in that position during the course of the next 12 months, before abandoning the plan after an underwhelming 1-1 draw with Denmark. Alexander-Arnold was brought off before the hour-mark.

After Tuesday's win over Inter, Mourinho admitted the position still caused some difficulties.

"He has lost some balls because it is not the same to play in this position compared to at right-back," he said.

"The intensity of physical work is quite difficult. He has a different engine. He has given 100%. He left the pitch with nothing left to give."

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.