As Trent Alexander-Arnold prepares to rejoin his Liverpool team-mates, the right-back has been in training in Los Angeles during a holiday with Jude Bellingham.
Following the end of their time together with England at the Euros, Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham flew out to LA for a well-deserved break.
The pair have travelled with Alexander-Arnold’s younger brother Marcell and close friend Toby Bishay, and the trip has led to concerns among fans that their No. 66 could be joining Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold was pictured signing a Real Madrid shirt while in the States, but any suggestion that this was a hint at a move should be dismissed, with Bellingham also signing a Liverpool shirt.
Their stay in LA has included trips to the Six Flags and Universal Studios theme parks, while they have also kept up on their fitness.
Alexander-Arnold is set to link back up with his Liverpool team-mates upon their return to Merseyside at the start of August, ahead of the friendly against Sevilla at Anfield.
There is an expectation that talks will then take place over a new contract at the club, with the 25-year-old now into the final 12 months of his deal.
While new head coach Arne Slot has been eager to keep a distance from those players enjoying breaks after the Euros and Copa America, he has already been in contact with his vice-captain.
There are credible claims of interest from Real, of course, and that is unsurprisingly so given Alexander-Arnold’s contract status and his generational ability.
But there is no indication at this stage that he is contemplating a move to Madrid, and instead it seems more likely that he will commit his long-term future to Liverpool.
Until he does, though, there will remain a lingering concern that he is erring towards a possible free transfer to join his friend at Real.
