Liverpool Already Have a “Phenomenal” Trent Alexander-Arnold Replacement & It’s Not Bradley or Quansah
Three of Liverpool’s most prominent players are currently on course to leave the club this summer. Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold could all depart on free transfers, as their contracts are set to expire at the end of the season.
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen recently expressed his thoughts on talkSPORT, stating that he is “pretty sure” Salah wants to remain at Anfield. He emphasised that he “would do whatever it takes to keep him” at the club beyond this season.
Regarding Van Dijk, the Dutch defender admitted in mid-March that he has “no idea at the moment” whether he will stay at Anfield. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold appears the most likely to leave.
Reports emerging in the past 24 hours suggest that Alexander-Arnold’s time as a Liverpool player may be coming to an end. All indications point towards his departure from the club he has represented since childhood.
Respected journalist David Ornstein is among those reporting that the right-back could be on his way out of Anfield. He claims that Real Madrid are actively working to finalise the signing of the England international.
According to Ornstein, the Spanish giants have held an interest in Alexander-Arnold for the past two years. Since January, they have been making significant efforts to persuade him to swap Merseyside for Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold, a lifelong Liverpool supporter, has made 349 appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals and providing an impressive 87 assists. His contributions were instrumental in Liverpool’s triumphs in the Premier League and the 2018/19 Champions League campaign.
Should the right-back leave, Liverpool will need to find a long-term replacement. Instead of looking to the transfer market, the solution could already exist within the club’s ranks.
The In-house Alexander-Arnold Replacement
Arne Slot has a few internal options to consider if he seeks an in-house replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Among them are academy graduates Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley.
However, both players lack experience at the highest level. While Bradley could develop into a first-choice option in the coming years, he might benefit from a rotational role for now as he continues to gain experience. Instead, Slot could turn to Joe Gomez as a potential replacement for Alexander-Arnold.
Once praised as a “phenomenal” player by Statman Dave, Gomez has featured 17 times under Liverpool’s new manager this season. However, he has been sidelined for a while due to a hamstring injury.
The London-born defender is no stranger to playing at right-back. Of his 241 appearances for Liverpool, he has played on the right side of the defence 88 times. Although naturally a centre-back, he has shown he is more than capable of operating as a full-back.
One potential drawback of Gomez playing at right-back is his attacking output. He has never scored a professional goal and has only provided nine assists for Liverpool, with five coming from the right flank. However, he has occasionally produced moments of brilliance, such as his assist for Diogo Jota against Watford in 2022.
Gomez’s real strength lies in his defensive ability, making him a clear upgrade over Alexander-Arnold in that department.
According to FBref, his defensive statistics are impressive when compared to other full-backs. He averages 6.64 ball recoveries per game and boasts a 73.9% aerial duel win rate, both of which place him in the top 1% of full-backs in Europe.
| Gomez key defensive stats | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat (per 90) | Number | Percentile |
| Blocks | 1.89 | 81st |
| Clearances | 3.16 | 77th |
| Tackles & interceptions | 3.24 | 65th |
| Ball recoveries | 6.64 | 99th |
| Aerial duel win rate | 73.9% | 99th |
| Stats: FBref | ||
Liverpool could certainly have far less reliable options than the former Charlton academy graduate at right-back. While his attacking contributions may not match his defensive strengths, he has demonstrated the ability to create goal-scoring opportunities and remains a solid defensive presence.
As an internal replacement for Alexander-Arnold, Gomez could be the solution Slot needs, at least until Bradley is prepared to take on a regular starting role.
In other news, Liverpool Could Be Without Six Players for Everton After Two New Injury Scares
