Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid on a free transfer, and the vice-captain’s departure will create an issue in squad-building.
Alexander-Arnold is widely reported to be finalising the details of a pre-contract agreement with Real Madrid, with the intention of joining at the end of the season.
It would mark the end of a long association with Liverpool and undoubtedly sour his reputation among supporters, with comparisons made with Steve McManaman and Michael Owen.
Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes will be tasked with identifying his successor, which could well be Conor Bradley but will almost certainly turn them to the transfer market.
But not only do Liverpool need to consider finding the right signings this summer, but losing Alexander-Arnold would reduce their homegrown quota for 2025/26.
Liverpool’s homegrown situation
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 14, 2024: Liverpool' players form a pre-match huddle before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool went into the campaign with seven homegrown players registered in their Premier League squad.
Per the Premier League‘s handbook:
A ‘homegrown player’ means a player who, irrespective of nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).
For the Reds, those seven players were: Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, Vitezslav Jaros, Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones, Tyler Morton and Tom Hill.
Hill, a 22-year-old academy midfielder, subsequently left to join Harrogate Town in January and Liverpool’s quota for the second half of the campaign was cut to six homegrown players.
Clubs are required to name at least eight homegrown players in order to register a full 25-man senior squad for the Premier League – not including under-21s – with the maximum of non-homegrown players being 17.
Liverpool’s homegrown options for 2025/26
PARIS, FRANCE - Wednesday, March 5, 2025: Liverpool's Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott (R) celebrate after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg game between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool FC at the Parc des Princes. Liverpool won 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies
Defenders: Alexander-Arnold*, Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Phillips, Williams, Beck, Ramsay
Midfielders: Jones, Morton, Stephenson
Forwards: Elliott
* Out of contract
But the imminent departure of Alexander-Arnold further reduces that quota – and the vice-captain is not likely to be alone in leaving.
Kelleher and Morton are both expected to leave in search of regular starting football, while there could be interest in third-choice goalkeeper Jaros and, after a failed bid from Newcastle in the summer, utility defender Gomez.
In fact Jones is the only one of those six homegrown players who looks guaranteed to stay with Liverpool for the 2025/26 campaign.
Similarly, centre-backs Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams, left-back Owen Beck and right-back Calvin Ramsay will be available to register as homegrown but are more likely to move on.
Slot’s quota will, however, be boosted by the newly eligible Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott, while goalkeeper Harvey Davies and midfielder Luca Stephenson could be retained as homegrown options on the fringes.
Frimpong is a homegrown solution
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, November 5, 2024: Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong reacts after his goal is ruled out for off-side during the UEFA Champions League game between Liverpool FC and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
But that would still leave Liverpool short of their minimum of eight homegrown players if the head coach wishes to call upon a 25-man senior squad.
That would be made worse if Elliott pushes for the exit after dropping out of regular rotation following Slot’s appointment.
Homegrown status could therefore be a consideration in the transfer market, with it noteworthy that Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong would be eligible despite being Dutch and playing in the Bundesliga.
This comes with Frimpong having spent nine years in the Man City academy, and though there are doubts over whether he can replace Alexander-Arnold at right-back, that could boost his value when Liverpool consider signings.