Liverpool might need to prepare for the possibility of playing without Trent Alexander-Arnold. The best outcome for Liverpool`s management is that he only misses a short period due to the ankle injury sustained in the match against Paris Saint-Germain. However, speculation about a potential transfer to Real Madrid is growing stronger.
Alexander-Arnold`s contract has less than three months remaining. While discussions about contract extensions for other players like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who are now in their thirties, are complex, retaining Alexander-Arnold should be a priority unless his demands are unreasonable. At only 26 years old, he is the team`s vice-captain and a local player who has been with Liverpool since he was six.
He is also incredibly difficult to replace. If Alexander-Arnold were to join Real Madrid, finding a player of his caliber would be nearly impossible. Any player who comes close to matching his abilities would cost Liverpool a significant amount, while they could lose Alexander-Arnold without receiving a transfer fee. There is a slim chance FIFA might allow clubs in the Club World Cup, like Real Madrid, to open the transfer window early, potentially allowing Liverpool to receive a small fee if Alexander-Arnold leaves before his contract ends on June 30th.
To understand Alexander-Arnold`s significant impact, consider this: since the 2021-22 season, only Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Florian Wirtz, Vinicius Junior, Bruno Fernandes, Thomas Muller, Bukayo Saka, Julian Brandt, and Kylian Mbappe have provided more assists than him (38) in league and European competitions. Alexander-Arnold`s assist numbers are not just impressive for a defender; they are world-class for an attacking player.
His expected assists (xA) of 41.52 are surpassed only by Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Kimmich. Only Kimmich, a key midfielder for Bayern Munich, who control many games, delivers more passes into the final third of the pitch. Alexander-Arnold is among Europe`s top players in progressive passes, expected possession value, chances created, and big chances created. He is also one of the best crossers in football, a set-piece expert who would fit well with Real Madrid`s history of players like Roberto Carlos, David Beckham, and Toni Kroos.
This season might seem slightly less impactful for Alexander-Arnold, perhaps due to a more cautious approach by the manager. However, he still ranks fourth in the Premier League for xA and is in the top 20 for chances created per 90 minutes, ahead of attacking players like Anthony Gordon and James Maddison.
In a Real Madrid team that usually dominates their opponents, Alexander-Arnold would likely excel. His defensive vulnerabilities have been often discussed at Liverpool, and top left wingers can challenge him. However, if he moved to Madrid, he would be playing alongside world-class defenders. Jurgen Klopp developed tactics to allow Alexander-Arnold to attack freely, and Carlo Ancelotti, or his successor, could easily do the same. Real Madrid already has players who can support defensively, such as mobile center-backs and defensive midfielders who can drop back.
For Liverpool, finding a suitable replacement will be very difficult. While some midfielders or inverted full-backs might offer similar ball progression skills, they are unlikely to provide the same level of creativity in the final third. To get that attacking output, they might need a more traditional, attacking full-back, but it would be challenging to find one who can also control the game from the right flank.
For a while, Reece James seemed like a potential rival for the title of best right-back, but his role at Chelsea has taken a physical toll. The closest comparison to Alexander-Arnold, who might theoretically be available, is Pedro Porro from Tottenham. However, Tottenham would likely demand a high transfer fee, and Porro is not at Alexander-Arnold`s level.
Liverpool has a promising young right-back in Conor Bradley. When Bradley has been fit, there has been talk about him potentially replacing Alexander-Arnold. Bradley is clearly talented and, considering Liverpool`s reported desire to strengthen their attack this summer, promoting Bradley could be seen as a cost-effective way to address a potential gap left by Alexander-Arnold.
However, relying solely on Bradley would leave a significant void in Liverpool`s attack, missing out on 1.2 chances created per 90 minutes, 0.17 xA, 10 passes (seven into the attacking third), and other high-level attacking contributions. The only player who can truly fill that gap is Alexander-Arnold himself. Replacing his contributions will require a collective effort from the entire team.
