The inevitable moment has arrived. While some Liverpool fans might have had faint hopes of seeing Trent Alexander-Arnold remaining at Anfield beyond the summer transfer window, most had already made peace with the idea of his departure from Anfield as a free agent. The confirmation came in the form of a video from the star full-back and an official announcement by the Merseyside club.
The announcement has made way for mixed reactions. While some fans are appreciative of the Englishman’s professionalism and his contributions to the club, others are livid, with some of the social media reaction being vile and disgraceful. Nevertheless, Alexander-Arnold has called time on his glittering spell with Liverpool, labelling it a “difficult” decision.
With the 26-year-old closing in on joining Real Madrid, Liverpool should scour the market for a right-back heading into the summer transfer window. While Conor Bradley has been impressive since breaking into the first-team squad at the Merseyside club, Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave a gaping hole at Anfield when he completes his impending departure.
Bradley has shown the potential to become Alexander-Arnold’s long-term successor. However, with club football seasons become more gruelling every year, each team aspiring to compete on all fronts should have two reliable options for every position. With that in mind, The Hard Tackle lists five candidates Liverpool should pursue to fill the English international’s void at Anfield in the summer transfer window.
We start with the most obvious candidate to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, a player who may be the only candidate who can be the like-for-like successor to the 26-year-old English international at Liverpool FC. We are talking about Jeremie Frimpong.
The Dutchman has transformed his career since joining Bayer Leverkusen from Celtic over four years ago. Frimpong was instrumental as Die Werkself won the Bundesliga title last season, becoming one of the creative forces as Xabi Alonso sought chance creation from the flanks.
That fits right in with Liverpool’s ethos during Alexander-Arnold’s spell with the Merseyside club’s first team. Whether the Reds continue with that style of play after the Englishman’s time at Anfield ends is unclear. However, Frimpong’s productivity and creative ability make him an appealing option for Liverpool.
However, the Netherlands international has some glaring issues that Liverpool might want to put in the past after closing the exit door on Alexander-Arnold. Frimpong is not the most adept options in the defensive phases and is better as a winger if a team employs a four-at-the-back system. So, the 24-year-old might be a like-for-like replacement in the truest sense.
Nevertheless, Frimpong is a viable option for Liverpool, although the Merseyside club will face stiff competition from other Premier League bigwigs, including Manchester United, for the Dutch wide player’s signature.
With the most obvious pick out of the way, we discuss options that will suit Liverpool in the long run, although our next suggestion will not be a straightforward target for the Merseyside outfit. We are talking about Jules Kounde.
Although primarily a centre-back, Kounde has been a revelation as a right-back throughout his spell with Barcelona thus far. The Frenchman’s impact as a right-back has been so extraordinary that Didier Deschamps has installed him as the first-choice starter in the position when he turns out for France.
Kounde’s impeccable reading of the game and aerial ability potentially make him a solid addition to the backline. In addition, he has added to his repertoire by becoming an adept ball carrier who can create chances from the right flank.
The French defender’s improving ball-playing skills make him an attractive target for Liverpool. However, the Reds face stiff competition for the Barcelona defender’s signature, with widespread reports linking him with Arsenal and Chelsea.
Our next candidate is also better-suited to the right wing-back role, like his compatriot Jeremie Frimpong. However, he can also play as a right-back, with his defensive ability much superior to the Bayer Leverkusen star. We are talking about Denzel Dumfries.
The Dutch full-back has been excellent since joining Inter Milan from PSV Eindhoven a few years ago. While the 29-year-old is not as productive as Frimpong, he has amassed ten goals and four assists thus far in the 2024/25 season, with his goalscoring ability making him an appealing target.
However, the Netherlands international is getting by, and he will turn 30 before the 2025/26 season ends. So, Dumfries might not be a long-term replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. That said, the Inter Milan wing-back’s presence might mean Conor Bradley can take over from him in a few years as the undisputed first-choice right-back.
Meanwhile, like Jeremie Frimpong and Jules Kounde, Dumfries is a target for several Premier League bigwigs. Recent reports have linked the 29-year-old Dutchman with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United. So, Liverpool will face an uphill taslk to sign him from Inter Milan.
Our next two suggestions are slightly left-of-centre picks. However, both players have the ability to fit like a glove at Liverpool FC if they choose one of them to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in the summer transfer window. The first player is Vanderson.
The Brazilian international has yet to become as productive as he would have liked since joining AS Monaco from Gremio a few years ago. However, he has been a solid contributor in the final third and likes to take up advanced positions to support the attackers.
In addition, the 23-year-old is a solid defender who reads the game well and produces no-nonsense tackling at the back. Those qualities have put him on the radar of Barcelona, with the Blaugrana closely following his progress for a long time. So, Liverpool will likely face stiff competition for his signature.
We end our shortlist with another South American full-back, although this one plays in the Premier League. We are talking about Crystal Palace mainstay Daniel Munoz, who has been on top of his game under Oliver Glasner.
Munoz’s exploits for Crystal Palace have brought him on the radar of several European bigwigs, including Chelsea, Manchester City, and Barcelona. However, Liverpool should also pursue him, considering his potential, age-profile, and style of play.
The Colombian international has transformed into a productivity monster under Oliver Glasner, having previously been a frustrating performer in the final third. In addition, the 28-year-old is a solid defender and does not shy away from putting in a hard tackle. Meanwhile, Munoz’s age profile makes him an appealing target for Liverpool, much like Denzel Dumfries.
