The players FIGHTING to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool

Liverpool need a new right-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract expires in the summer and we are dangerously close to him being able to sign an agreement to move to Real Madrid.

Recent reports have suggested that Alexander-Arnold’s move to Spain is “90%” complete, with him all-but-agreeing to join Madrid in the summer.

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However, the fullback sent a message to fans after scoring against West Ham at the weekend, hinting that the most recent rumours were ‘all talk’.

There is still a world in which Alexander-Arnold stays at Liverpool and continues his march towards becoming one of the club’s best-ever players. He has achieved everything there is to achieve at Anfield but can add to his legend this season and beyond with more trophies.

But a move is currently more likely than not, with a deal between Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold still not close.

It means that Richard Hughes and Arne Slot will need to enter the transfer market to find a replacement for one of the most unique players in world football - no easy task.

Conor Bradley is waiting in the wings to step into the first team on a more regular basis, and his performances in a Liverpool shirt so far have shown he is more than good enough to be a reliable option in Red.

But if Alexander-Arnold leaves, Bradley will need competition, so let’s take a look at some of the options on Liverpool’s list of replacements.

Jeremie Frimpong

The flying fullback/wingback/wide midfielder has been sensational for Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen over the past two seasons and was a pivotal part of their incredible unbeaten Bundesliga season last year.

Liverpool have long been linked with a move for the former Celtic and Manchester City star who has matured into a big attacking threat, now aged 24.

However, there are some aspects of Frimpong’s game which would make him a somewhat strange replacement for Alexander-Arnold.

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Frimpong has played a lot further forward for Bayer Leverkusen than he would in Slot’s system, which has been adapted this season to simplify Alexander-Arnold’s role in the side. One of the big impacts Slot has had on Trent is to improve the defensive side of his game, something that would need to be done with Frimpong as well. Slot likes his fullbacks to stay deep during buildup as well, rather than pushing high up as Frimpong tends to do.

His heatmap from this season shows a player more suited to challenging Mohamed Salah on the right hand side of the attack, rather than someone who could slot into a defensive position.

However, Frimpong does reportedly have a release clause of approximately £33m in his contract, which would make a transfer relatively straightforward - and with Salah’s future still not clear, he could be a perfect utility option to cover both positions.

Vanderson

Monaco’s Vanderson is another on the list to replace Alexander-Arnold, and is a player that Liverpool have been interested in signing before.

The 23-year-old joined Monaco from Brazilian side Gremio in 2022 for approximately €11m, and went straight into their starting lineup. Liverpool were reportedly in for his signature at that time as well, but their preference to sign South American players who have had European football experience meant he went to the French side instead.

His performances in Ligue 1 have seen him rewarded with a spot in Brazil’s national team squad, with Vanderson starting in their most recent game away to Venezuela during World Cup qualification.

Vanderson is another player who is very attacking, with his dribbling and ability to get into the box both standout qualities - and he has an eye for a Trent-esque pass too.

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His contract runs until 2028, so this summer would be a good opportunity for Monaco to cash in on him.

Amar Dedic

Bosnian Amar Dedic is currently at Red Bull Salzburg, where he has impressed this season despite the club’s poor showing under former Liverpool coach Pep Lijnders. Liverpool have reportedly asked for information about his situation at the club, with Jurgen Klopp's involvement at Red Bull a potential advantage to any transfer to Anfield.

Dedic is another forward-thinking fullback, who ranks highly for progressive passes and carries this season (per Fbref) and is used to playing in a team which dominates possession.

The obvious caveat for a player coming from the Austrian Bundesliga is that the gap in quality to the Premier League is huge, and Dedic could struggle at the beginning while adapting to a new environment.

At just 22-years-old, Dedic feels like the kind of player who would be joining as a project for Slot, who could mould him into his perfect fullback.

Lutsharel Geertruida

Rounding out the list is one of Slot’s former players at Feyenoord, Lutsharel Geertruida. Dutch media reported that he was likely to join the Reds during the summer, but he ended up at RB Leipzig instead.

He is an interesting option considering he profiles very differently to the other fullbacks on the list.

While also young, at 23, Geertruida is more of a defensive player than Frimpong, Vanderson and Dedic, and is capable of playing across the backline.

His versatility would be a big help for Slot, who has been dealing with defensive injury issues in recent weeks.

However, considering he only recently moved clubs and has a contract running until 2029, this one feels more difficult for Liverpool to complete than others.

Time will tell as to who will replace Alexander-Arnold in the long-run.

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