Conor Bradley has detailed his improvement over the last 12 months and has set sights on next step with Liverpool
Comments
Sport
15:50, 17 May 2025
Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
(Image: Getty Images)
There was a time Conor Bradley feared his Liverpool career was over before it had truly started. Now, though, the right-back is very much part of the future for the Reds.
Bradley become the latest player to reaffirm their Anfield commitment on Saturday by putting pen to paper on a new four-year deal that will run until June 2029.
It's not only reward for the 21-year-old's ongoing progress having graduated from the Academy ranks, but also recognition of the increasing role Liverpool now expect Bradley to play given the imminent departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
READ MORE: Conor Bradley contract agreed as Liverpool close in on next major transferREAD MORE: 'I didn't like it' - Xabi Alonso explains unusual decision after Liverpool experience
With Alexander-Arnold having locked down right-back since becoming a regular fixture during the 2017/18 season, the position is now there for the taking.
And with the Reds favourites to sign left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth, the wide defensive positions are set for their biggest shake-up in eight years.
Liverpool are closing on a deal for Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen that would bolster their options along the right flank - Frimpong has played at both full-back and wing-back this season and has previously featured on the right of the attack - but Bradley has already made his play for the role with a series of impressive displays over the last 18 months.
Signing a new deal, then, was straightforward. "It was pretty easy," he admits. "Obviously I've supported Liverpool all my life so it was probably as easy as it gets. I always wanted to sign again.
"To achieve all the things I've achieved with this club to date is pretty special, I just want to keep on making more memories together and keep it going. It has been a fantastic two years, especially since coming back from loan and doing so well last season."
That temporary spell at Bolton Wanderers for the 2022/23 campaign was the making of Bradley. Having arrived at Liverpool from Dungannon United as an Academy player in 2019, he had already featured in the Liverpool first team before he was sent for a year at the League One side.
"They told me that they wouldn't forget about me when I was out on loan, but at the time, you don't really believe it," he admitted earlier this season. "You think 'a loan, that's sort of me done here'."
Bradley wasn't. After 53 appearances and winning the EFL Trophy with Bolton, the Northern Ireland international returned and, injuries permitting, has subsequently been a regular feature in the Liverpool squad, making 50 appearances during the last two seasons.
And his progress over the last 12 months has been notable. "More than anything I'm growing into my body a bit more now," he says. "I feel a lot more physically strong and feel quicker and more powerful and that's really helped me when I play games. There's massive improvement from this time last year and hopefully I can keep going on that trajectory.
"I want to add more assists and goals to my game. I've had a few. Defending I want to get better - to be honest, I want to be better at everything.
"I've loved playing this season. I feel as though (the style of play) suits me really well, I definitely feel like I've played better this season than last season. I am improving under the new boss. He has been really good with me."
Bradley has rarely been one to stand on ceremony. He made his Northern Ireland senior debut aged 17 and has already twice captained his country.
"I feel like I'm a leader with my country but we have quite a young team so that makes it a bit easier," he says to liverpoolfc.com. "I want to develop into a leader here (at Liverpool) as well. We have so many good and big voices at the club, and I want to develop into one of them and keep using my voice a bit more."
The rewards for this season, though, are still to be gathered, with boyhood Liverpool fan Bradley excited at the prospect of lifting the championship after the visit of Crystal Palace next Sunday having had to watch the 2020 triumph back in Northern Ireland.
"You dream when you are younger of getting your hands on the Premier League trophy," he adds. "It'll be so special. All that hard work has been worthwhile and we've won the league.
"But we don't want to have just one Premier League trophy. We want to have multiple and we want to have Champions Leagues and FA Cups and Carabao Cups. We just have to be hungry for more success."