Liverpool wonderkid DESTINED to become a club legend

Liverpool fans might be losing a little less sleep these days over the prospect of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold at the end of the season.

Liverpool transfer latest: Edwards meets with £30m star as Arne Slot confirms signing

The Reds’ homegrown hero has been in and around the first team for close to a decade, winning every major club honour along the way. At 26, the right-back remains firmly in his peak but it appears his days are now numbered.

READ MORE: Liverpool confirm incredible wonderkid is joining the first team

It’s now February and Trent’s current Liverpool contract expires at the end of June. With no breakthrough in negotiations over a new deal, it now looks like Trent will be on his way to Real Madrid on a free transfer.

That is a bitter blow to the club, who have nurtured Alexander-Arnold into the superstar player he is today, but if his head is turned there’s not a lot that can be done about it.

And once that exit is confirmed it will be time to consider replacements at right-back in the long term as unthinkable as that possibility currently seems.

There has been talk about Liverpool potentially moving in the transfer market for a new right-back. Amar Dedic and Lutsharel Geertruida were previously linked but each has completed a recent transfer elsewhere.

Then there’s the Monaco right-back Vanderson as well as Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong.

Liverpool excel with Bradley

However a lot of Liverpool fans would be content to give the opportunity to Conor Bradley. The 21-year-old really couldn’t have timed his run into the first team any better - especially considering the uncertainty over Trent.

He has demonstrated time and again that he’s got the credentials to step into the first team - whether that’s under Arne Slot or his predecessor Jurgen Klopp.

Alexander-Arnold has been out with various injuries over the last year or so but Liverpool have scarcely dropped their levels when he’s been out of the team. Whether it’s Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, Manchester City in the Premier League or Real Madrid in the Champions League, Bradley has not only deputised for Trent but excelled in his absence.

This isn’t a one-off either with Bradley already closing in on 50 first-team appearances for the club. And whether it’s Kylian Mbappe or Son Heung-min, the Northern Ireland international has demonstrated time and again he can compete with the very best the world can offer.

Bradley can be a club legend

Hist most recent outing, Thursday night’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham at Anfield, concluded with the Kop singing his name.

It barely registered that Bradley is current the club’s second-choice right back as he delivered yet another sumptuous assist for Dominik Szoboszlai.

That was his ninth for the first team and he’s no slouch defensively either.

It may well be time for Liverpool to move on from Alexander-Arnold but after the era of a homegrown right-back leading the team to glory it could be about to start all over again.

READ MORE: Special meeting confirmed between Michael Edwards and £30m winger

Not only is Bradley looking like a first-team player in waiting, it looks like he is ready to become a Liverpool legend in his own right.

Liverpool FC news recap: Richard Hughes' GENIUS move as Van Dijk and Salah sign new deals