Fabrizio Romano has spilled the beans on the “next big thing” Arne Slot has identified as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s successor in the Liverpool side – while the latter’s impending move to Real Madrid has caused a disagreement between Jamie Carragher and another high-profile pundit.
The worst-kept secret in football is now unofficially-officially out the bag with several high-profile outlets and journalists revealing earlier this week that Alexander-Arnold has agreed a bumper five-year deal to join Real Madrid and has communicated his desire to leave to Liverpool officials. And while the move is yet to be confirmed by either party, the free-transfer move will bring to an end the long-running saga, as well as the player’s 20-year association with his boyhood club.
Alexander-Arnold’s exit from Anfield will also leave behind a near-impossible hole to fill. However, reports on Thursday suggested the Reds had narrowed their shortlist of options down to three names and were already planning an approach for a bargain £16.7m option starring in LaLiga.
However, Romano has played down the prospects of Liverpool doing any business at all to sign a new right-back and has revealed the enormous trust those in power at Anfield have in his current deputy, Conor Bradley.
“In terms of right-back, what I’m hearing is that they are very happy with Conor Bradley. They believe that Conor Bradley can be part of this future Liverpool squad. They believe he’s a huge talent,” Romano said on the Here We Go podcast.
“The responsibility of being the starting right-back at Liverpool is going to be completely different, but they feel this boy has everything in place in order to become an important player for Arne Slot.
“I was there at Anfield, Liverpool-Real Madrid game in November, I think, November, December, I don’t remember. There was a tackle from Conor Bradley, and the reaction from the crowd, the reaction from Anfield, I think, was the perfect start of a new story.
“That moment shows how Liverpool as a club, but also as a fan base, is ready to trust this boy, is ready to trust Conor Bradley. Then let’s see what they do on the market, but Conor Bradley internally is considered the next big thing at right-back and they fully trust him for the future.”
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Bradley is capable, but will his fitness be his undoing?
The 21-year-old is certainly more than capable of filling Alexander-Arnold’s very sizeable boots. As Romano rightly pointed out, that tackle on Kylian Mbappe in that UCL clash at Anfield convinced many people there and then that the 23-cap Northern Ireland international will prove a worthy heir.
Blessed with a good reading of the game, and a decent engine to support the attack down the right wing, the player already has 12 career goals to his name, albeit only one from 50 appearances for the Reds.
However, the one issue holding him back – and has often been the case with the Castlederg-born star – is the frustrating regularity with which he picks up injuries. To that end, he has already missed a total of 47 matches since the start of the 2023/24 campaign through various niggles.
Despite that, trusted reporter David Ornstein has also recently shared Liverpool’s vision for life after Alexander-Arnold, having revealed the total trust the club has in Bradley.
Writing for The Athletic in a Q&A just last week, Ornstein was asked if Liverpool would look to sign a new right-back this summer.
‘Is Bradley not the heir apparent if Alexander-Arnold leaves?’ Ornstein stated.
‘[Jarell] Quansah and [Joe] Gomez can play there too. That doesn’t rule out recruitment, but I don’t think it would be at the top of the priority list.’
That view was also shared by Henry Winter, who insisted earlier this week thatlife will go on for Liverpool after Alexander-Arnold.
‘Liverpool are very good at player development and player recruitment. Conor Bradley is still only 21, and obviously not yet in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s class, especially passing, but he showed his talent against, amongst others, Chelsea in Jan 2021 (one goal, two assists) and against Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe (that tackle).
‘Bradley’s unfazed by occasion or opposition. He invariably steps up whenever stepping in for Alexander-Arnold,’ Winter wrote.
Former Reds star Carragher, meanwhile, has been embroiled in a disagreement with Ian Wright of Liverpool’s handling of player contracts after allowing all of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold to let their deals run down.
And Liverpool legend Carragher wasn’t having any of it when Wright suggested that FSG have to take some responsibility for the situation
“Jamie, anything to do with FSG in the fact they let it get to a place where… because you have to think,” Wright said on The Overlap.
“No, no, no,” Carragher responded.
Wright went on to add: “Three players? I’ve never seen… Three players’ contracts, Jamie. Three players! Gary, I can’t believe it.”
Liverpool transfer news: Row erupts over Diaz; Reds raid on Real blocked
Meanwhile, Slot and the club’s board are reportedly on a collision course over the future of Luis Diaz, amid claims the Reds boss has reached a very firm decision on the Colombian’s future and with the row threatening to push the player into Arsenal’s grateful arms.
On the incoming front, Liverpool have now been given real confidence a Premier League record transfer deal is there to be done for Alexander Isak. That’s after reports suggestedthe Magpies will be offered their pick of FOUR Reds stars as part of any deal.
One player who won’t be signing, though, is Martin Zubimendi. Now, a Sky Sports man has revealed just how close a move to Arsenal is while alsoquestioning if the Gunners were to blame for the midfielder’s failed move to Anfield.
The Merseysiders have also suffered a huge blow in their pursuit of a Real Madrid defender, with a report revealing that how Los Blancos plan to increase his release clause to a ludicrous sum of money.
IN-FOCUS: How Conor Bradley and Alexander-Arnold compare this season
Bradley v Alexander-Arnold stats comparison
Bradley v Alexander-Arnold stats comparison 2024/25*