Surprise candidate emerges to REPLACE Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool could be set to LOSE Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer at the end of the season. The right-back’s contract expires in summer 2025 and there has been no breakthrough in discussions over a new deal.

Real Madrid have been pushing hard for the 26-year-old, with a mammoth contract and signing-on fee lined up should he be tempted to swap Anfield for the Bernabeu.

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Losing the England international would leave a hole in Arne Slot’s squad, although Conor Bradley has proven to be adequate cover in the right-back position.

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However, Bradley alone won’t be sufficient and as such Liverpool have been linked with several right-backs ahead of the summer transfer window. And now a new name has emerged on the list.

Liverpool and Man City watching Ola Aina

Ola Aina, 28, has been a Premier League mainstay for Nottingham Forest this season as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side enter the Champions League reckoning.

Forest are the ONLY team to defeat Slot’s Liverpool this term and last week also claimed the scalp of Manchester City. The Tricky Trees are currently placed third and looking good to return to European football’s top table next season.

Aina, a 40-cap Nigerian international, has been a permanent fixture at right-back this term, playing 28 times, scoring twice and adding one assist.

The former Chelsea prospect joined Forest back in 2023 on a free transfer after his contract at Serie A side Torino expired.

He moved to Italy from Chelsea back in 2019 for around £9m and enjoyed loan spells at Hull City - while contracted to Chelsea - and Fulham while he was on Torino’s books.

Aina’s current deal expires in summer 2025 although Forest are reported to have an option to extend it by a further year. The right-back initially joined on a one-year deal, extending it for a further year ahead of the end of the 2023/24 season.

Aina could REPLACE Trent

Manchester City are also reported to be keen with Pep Guardiola still lacking a decent successor to Kyle Walker. Forest want to tie down Aina to a new deal in a bid to prevent losing him to the Premier League’s bigger-name sides.

“TBR Football has now been informed that the Nottingham Forest No.34 could replace either Kyle Walker or Trent Alexander-Arnold, if the latter does leave Anfield for Real Madrid,” a report on TBR Football reads.

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“We understand Nottingham Forest are working hard on a new contract for Aina – with his current deal expiring this summer – although if an agreement cannot be reached between now and then, the Reds do hold an option to extend his terms by 12 months to continue discussions.”

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