Trent Alexander-Arnold right-back of Liverpool and England during the warm-up before the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield on November 27, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Trent Alexander-Arnold's future at Liverpool remains in considerable doubt.
Liverpool will cope fine with losing Trent Alexander-Arnold this summer, former star Mark Lawrenson has claimed.
The England full back continues to be linked with Real Madrid nearing the final six months of his contract at Anfield. And, along with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, there is no prospect yet of fresh terms being agreed.
But Lawrenson, the former Match of the Day pundit, reckons losing Alexander-Arnold will not be much of a blow to head coach Arne Slot because there are two top alternatives already in the squad.
That includes Northern Ireland youngster Conor Bradley, who earned rave reviews for his ferocious tackle on Kylian Mbappe during Wednesday night’s Champions League win over Real Madrid, and versatile but injury prone Joe Gomez.
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“Conor Bradley has done well, and that’s because he’s playing with plenty of freedom," Lawrenson told Paddy Power. "Unfortunately for him, he knows that when Trent Alexander-Arnold is back from injury, he’ll go straight into the team, meaning that Bradley isn’t under any pressure when he plays.
“If Trent leaves Liverpool in the summer, the club would be absolutely fine with their replacements as they’ve got Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez, who are both great players.”
Alexander-Arnold has been tight-lipped on his future amid persistent talk around a switch to Real and a link up with close friend Jude Bellingham.
Kylian Mbappe centre-forward of Real Madrid and France and Conor Bradley right-back of Liverpool
Conor Bradley crunched into Kylian Mbappe to the delight of Liverpool fans.
"I want to be a Liverpool player this season [as a minimum] is what I will say," the 26-year-old said in September. "I have been at the club 20 years now. I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public - and this one won't be either."
Liverpool host Manchester City on Sunday afternoon with an eight-point advantage over the champions and Cody Gakpo said it is a huge opportunity for Slot's side to show their great rivals "what we are made of."
“It is a massive opportunity, I think against a very good team, one of the best teams in Europe actually (who have been) dominating a lot of games in recent years," the Dutchman said. “But this is a massive chance for us to show them what we are made of and that’s what we are planning to do.
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