Who Will Replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool?

The issue of Trent Alexander-Arnold's contract as a full-back at Liverpool can be likened to a ticking time bomb. Everyone at the club is already aware that time is running out and the bomb will explode, but they are unable to do anything about it. The only one who can defuse the bomb is Alexander-Arnold himself.

Alexander-Arnold seemingly has no issue letting time run out. The move he might make by transferring clubs could potentially erase the fond memories and good relations with the supporters of "The Reds." However, all those risks are willingly taken for the dream of playing for Real Madrid.

Time will soon tell whether Alexander-Arnold will leave the club he has been with since the age of six. Regardless, Liverpool must begin preparing a transfer plan to find a potential replacement for the England national team player.

Before finding a suitable player, there is a question that must be answered first. How influential is the 26-year-old defender for Liverpool? This is because many fans are not too concerned about his departure. He is often considered a liability for the team when defending.

For example, on February 23, 2025, when Liverpool faced Manchester City, Alexander-Arnold struggled to cope with the explosive movements of winger Jeremy Doku. He was bypassed 12 times by Doku. This starkly contrasting duel drew attention, even though Liverpool emerged as the winner.

Those statistics are not very important. I have often stated, including when facing City, he indeed lost duels multiple times but did not cause us to concede many chances.

The fact is reinforced by data from BBC Sport. In the Premier League this season, no full-back has been passed more times than Alexander-Arnold (53). He only won 46.6 percent of duels, the second lowest among full-backs.

However, just think logically, why would great coaches like Juergen Klopp or Arne Slot still rely on him if he does more harm. Slot even defended Alexander-Arnold when he was made the “scapegoat” for the defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

"The statistics are not that important. I have said many times, including against City, he lost a lot of duels but he didn't give us many chances. He had some difficulties but overall he defended well," Slot said.

Alexander-Arnold's defensive qualities have always been questioned, but there is no doubting his influence in attack. There is no defender in the world who can match him in creativity, decision-making and quality of passing. He is simply one of a kind.

Since the 2017-2018 season. Alexander-Arnold has been recorded as the defender with the most assists, chance creations, crosses, and passes into the penalty box in Europe's top five leagues. That record is enough to prove that the Liverpool-born player is indeed very special.

Klopp had already recognised the quality of the player since he was in the academy, and was given his debut at the age of 18. “He was a fantastic player from day one. An incredible talent who has turned into a world-class player,” he said in April 2024.

There are several names that have the potential to be successors. One of the closest is Conor Bradley, Alexander-Arnold's understudy at Liverpool. Bradley has been given the opportunity to appear 22 times this season although only nine times as a starter.

Bradley has always been able to provide energy on the wing, especially in defence and running down the touchline. He is still able to develop at just 21 years of age. Northern Ireland head coach Michael O’Neill believes in his potential, even giving him the captaincy.

"We've got a very special young player. (Bradley's) attitude to the game is probably his biggest attribute. He just loves the game. He trains as hard as he can," O'Neill was quoted as saying by The Analyst.

The problem is, Bradley's style of play is very different from Alexander-Arnold's. Bradley relies on movement without the ball, while Alexander-Arnold sets the tempo and breaks the pressure with the ball. Bradley's injury history, which has missed a total of 47 games in the last two seasons, is also worrying.

If Slot wants to change the role of the full-back that will affect the overall system, it is better to take a star player at once. Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong has recently been targeted by many big clubs after developing significantly under coach Xabi Alonso.

Frimpong's most luxurious attributes are speed and dribbling. In Leverkusen, he had the freedom to advance as a winger in a 3-5-2 formation. It was different in the Dutch national team, Frimpong began to be trusted as a winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Despite their different playing styles, Frimpong's end product contribution is similar to Alexander-Arnold's. Frimpong creates an average of 1.3 chances per 90 minutes from open play. Only slightly behind Alexander-Arnold (1.4). Both have contributed six assists in the domestic league.

Incidentally, the 24-year-old's price is still reasonable. He reportedly has a release clause of £34 million. The price will be very influential for Liverpool, because they could potentially be forced to release Alexander-Arnold for nothing.

Opta's analysis provides a different perspective. The most suitable player to be a successor is Tottenham Hotspur full-back Pedro Porro. Porro's statistics in various aspects of attack and defense in the 2023-2024 season reached 86 percent similarity to Alexander-Arnold (2024-2025).

Specifically for right wing-back, Porro (44) is in second place as the most chance creator in the Premier League after Alexander-Arnold (51). The difference is that the majority of Porro's creations come from crosses. He does not make many long passes like the "Red" star.

The biggest problem in bringing in the Spanish international lies in the negotiations. Spurs, who are ambitious to move up the table next season, are not necessarily willing to let the defender go to a rival team. Spurs owner Daniel Levy is an ambitious figure.

Of course, it will not be possible to find a 100 percent replacement for Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool just need to face reality and hope a little. Maybe, the new player will be able to bring more stability. No need for help from other players to cover the hole on the right side of the defense. (AP/REUTERS)