Trent Alexander-Arnold is out of contract in the coming weeks, and he has decided not to sign an extension with the Premier League champions. His departure as a free agent will certainly come as a major blow for Liverpool, and it will be interesting to see how they cope with the loss.
The England international is one of the best players in the Premier League, and he has been an indispensable asset for Liverpool. Replacing him in the transfer market is easier said than done. Here at The Hard Tackle, we look at how Liverpool might need to adapt practically and plan their transfer approach in order to fill the void left by their academy graduate.
The Liverpool star is more than just a defender, and replacing him with another right back is unlikely to solve their problems. The 26-year-old has been a deep-lying playmaker for Liverpool over the years. The Reds have not had any elite creators in their midfield in recent years, and they have been overly reliant on the England international to create openings for his teammates from the deep.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing, crossing, link-up play, vision, and technical ability have allowed Liverpool to create consistent goalscoring opportunities without relying on a playmaker. Other teams like Manchester City and Manchester United have had players like Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes shoulder that responsibility. However, Liverpool have relied on the Englishman to unlock the opposition defences.
Therefore, replacing him with a right-back will be difficult. Liverpool will have to bring in a full-back who is reliable defensively, but they need to invest in a quality playmaker as well. Signing a like-for-like replacement for Alexander-Arnold is a near-impossible task. He is undoubtedly the best attacking right back in the world, and Liverpool will need to invest in multiple players to fill the void left by him.
Liverpool have been overly dependent on the right-hand side of their attack in recent seasons. The combination of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold has yielded great benefits for Liverpool over the years. However, that chain is now broken, and Liverpool need to bring in some tactical changes to repair the damage.
Apart from signing a quality right back, they should look to invest in a right-sided playmaker who will help control the game from the middle of the park and help out at both ends of the pitch. Perhaps a technically gifted box-to-box midfielder, who can help create opportunities in the attack and link up with Salah, would be ideal. He would also need to cover the right back defensively.
Dominik Szoboszlai could be the ideal fit in that role. The Hungarian international has the technical attributes to help out in the attack, and he has the engine to link the midfield with the defence on the right side of the pitch. Liverpool have mostly used a 4-2-3-1 formation this season, and they might need to switch to a 4-3-3 system now.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been in the creative hub for Liverpool over the years, and the Reds will need to invest in an elite creator during the summer transfer window. It will be interesting to see if they decide to bring in a quality attacking midfielder. They have been linked with players like Rayan Cherki in recent months.
Alternatively, they could look to use Alexis Mac Allister in a more advanced role. The Argentine international has been restricted to a more conservative role due to the lack of a specialist defensive midfielder on the side. However, he has the passing, vision and technical ability to operate as an attacking midfielder and help create opportunities for his teammates, and chip in with goals as well.
The World Cup winner has shown that he can be a very useful asset when it comes to taking set pieces as well. It will be interesting to see if Arne Slot decides to bring in a quality defensive midfielder and liberate Mac Allister to play his natural game in a more advanced position. Liverpool will have to find a solution that will help them fill the creative void on the side.
It has been an outstanding season for Liverpool, and they have won the Premier League title. However, their performances in the domestic competitions and the UEFA Champions League leave a lot to be desired. They certainly need quality additions, and the departure of Alexander-Arnold will only make things difficult for them. It remains to be seen whether they can solve those problems with their usual careful transfer planning and meticulous approach in the market that has rewarded them greatly over the years.
