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Since being handed his Liverpool debut by Jurgen Klopp back in 2016 when he was just 18 years old, Trent Alexander-Arnold has been an integral figure for the Reds.
He’s played over 300 times in total, mostly at right-back, and has wowed fans with his impressive attacking output, scoring 19 goals and producing an astonishing 83 assists.
His attacking prowess from the right flank has helped Liverpool lift nearly every major trophy possible, including the Champions League and the Premier League.
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“An outstanding talent and he has turned into a world-class football player,” Klopp said of Alexander-Arnold just before he left the club at the end of last season.
“He’s one people will talk about 20, 30, 40 years,” the German added.
Sadly for Liverpool fans, a future without their star right-back could soon be on the cards. The Englishman is in the final year of his contract at Anfield and has been widely tipped to leave the club to join Real Madrid in the summer.
Should that happen, here are five players the Reds could turn to as a replacement for their iconic academy graduate.
1
Denzel Dumfries
Inter
According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool have already found a replacement for Alexander-Arnold.
It has been claimed that the Reds have an agreement in place to bring Inter right-back Denzel Dumfries to Anfield in the summer. Dumfries is out of contract at the end of the season, meaning he could arrive at Merseyside on a free transfer.
Last season, the 28-year-old Dutchman, who joined Inter in 2021 from PSV, racked up four goals and six assists in 36 appearances for Inter, helping them lift the Serie A title.
Dumfries has also been linked with Manchester United and Aston Villa, both of whom reportedly tried and failed to land him in the summer transfer window.
2
Jeremie Frimpong
Bayer Leverkusen
Another Dutch right-back who has been on Liverpool’s radar is Jeremie Frimpong, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Earlier this year, it was said that the Reds were one of a number of clubs keeping tabs on the Bayer Leverkusen star, who was a key player for Xabi Alonso’s side as they lifted the Bundesliga title for the first time in their 120-year history last term.
Like Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong is an attack-minded full-back. Last season, he hit 14 goals and produced 12 assists in all competitions.
However, Frimpong usually plays as a right wing-back, which could pose an issue for Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who typically plays with a traditional back four.
3
Vanderson
Monaco
While Frimpong and Dumfries can be considered more attacking full-backs, AS Monaco’s Vanderson is quite the opposite.
Though he does nab the occasional goal or assist, the Brazilian is a truly outstanding defender. According to FBref, he ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 97th for interceptions when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.
And according to reports in Spain, the 23-year-old, who recently made his senior debut for Brazil, is one of the names Liverpool are considering as a potential replacement for Alexander-Arnold.
Speaking about the player during the start of his second season at Monaco in September 2022, former Monaco boss Philippe Clemente described him as “very ambitious and a huge perfectionist”.
“Every day he wants to be better than the last,” Clemente said.
4
Pedro Porro
Tottenham Hotspur
According to more recent reports elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro is “right at the top” of Liverpool’s list of potential Alexander-Arnold replacements.
Porro, 25, has been one of the Premier League’s outstanding full-backs over the past two seasons, impressing with his defensive stability, smart wing play and eye for goal – the latter of which was best demonstrated by his thumping long-range strike against Burnley, which won Spurs’ Goal of the Season award last year.
Of Liverpool’s proposed right-back targets, Porro is arguably the most similar to Alexander-Arnold. Both players are excellent progressive passers, boast exceptional outputs in the final third and are extremely comfortable in possession.
However, what’s most interesting about Liverpool’s links with Porro is that the Spaniard and Alexander-Arnold are both thought to be wanted by Real Madrid. Indeed, Porro has not been shy about his desire to play for Los Blancos one day.
So if Madrid do move for Alexander-Arnold, do Liverpool fans really want to then bring in a player who they know will still be dreaming of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu himself? Maybe not.
5
Conor Bradley
Liverpool
In life, sometimes you find that the thing you’ve been looking for has been right in front of you all along. For Liverpool, that thing could be Conor Bradley.
Like Alexander-Arnold, Bradley came through Liverpool’s academy and was handed his first-team debut by Klopp in January 2024. Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength, filling in for the England ace on a number of occasions, including in the Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea.
Bradley, while nowhere near as attack-minded as his teammate, is a tenacious tackler and a good header of the ball. He offers the sort of defensive solidity that Alexander-Arnold has often been criticised for during his Liverpool career.
Last season, for example, albeit within far fewer minutes, Bradley went the whole season without making an error – which FBref defines as a mistake leading to a shot. Alexander-Arnold made five of those, which was the most of any player in Liverpool’s squad.
Bradley’s not glamorous, but he’s already shown himself to be a solid player when called upon, and at just 21 years of age, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Plus, he wouldn’t cost the Reds a penny, which is always a bonus.
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson thinks the Northern Ireland international is the man for the job. “I think Conor Bradley has the makings of an outstanding full-back if Trent were to leave,” he recently told SportsCasting. “He’s shown that he’s ready to start more for the first team and already has a number of good displays to point to.”
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