Liverpool are weighing up an unlikely swoop for Chelsea defender Malo Gusto as they look to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to reports.
The Reds have made a brilliant start to the new season with Arne Slot’s side currently top of the Premier League table after 14 matches.
Liverpool are four points ahead of second-placed Chelsea and also have a game in hand over the Blues, while a 1-0 win over Girona on Tuesday means Slot’s men also lead the Champions League group stage table.
Despite his success on the pitch, Slot has had to deal with some off-field concerns with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold all out of contract in the summer.
Negotiations with the trio have not been successful so far and Alexander-Arnold – who has been linked with Real Madrid and Manchester City – feels the most likely out of the three to leave at the end of the season.
And now journalist Simon Phillips (via Caught Offside) claims that Liverpool are eyeing ‘a surprise raid on rivals Chelsea in the transfer market’ with a move for right-back Gusto.
Liverpool could be rivalled by defending Premier League champions Man City for Gusto’s signature with the 21-year-old impressing in his 14 appearances this season.
Chelsea, for their part, ‘have zero plans to enter into negotiations over selling Gusto, but it seems the Frenchman’s fine form has attracted serious interest.’
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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock reckons Conor Bradley – who has impressed recently – has the ability to be a ready-made replacement for Alexander-Arnold but he’s worried about his injury record.
Warnock told BetBrain: “I think Conor Bradley certainly has the ability to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold if he leaves Liverpool, but the big concern for me is his injury record. I don’t know if he’s robust enough to cement that right-back position down because of all the injuries he picks up.
“In terms of attributes, he 100% has the ability to do it, but from a physical aspect I have my doubts. Obviously the more you play the more robust your body gets, and it could be a case of exposing him to more football to build him up, but there’s also a danger of the opposite effect happening and his body letting him down even more.”
When asked who will replace Salah if he leaves Liverpool, Warnock added: “I don’t have to answer who I think will replace Mohamed Salah – because he will be at Liverpool! I think the contract situation will get resolved. You can see on his face that he’s happy when he’s playing for the club and I think he wants to get the contract signed. Even when he came out to the media, it was a ‘I don’t want to go – I want to be here!’
“If he leaves, I don’t know where he would go to be honest. I know there were a few links with Paris Saint-Germain but I don’t know whether they’d go down that route with his age. I just don’t see him leaving Liverpool and I think he’ll stay there!”