Liverpool might have to prepare for a future without Trent Alexander-Arnold. The best hope for the club is that he`s only out for a short time due to the ankle injury he picked up against Paris Saint-Germain. However, rumors about a potential move to Real Madrid are getting stronger.
Alexander-Arnold`s contract is running out in just over three months. While there might be discussions about new contracts for other players like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk who are over 30, Alexander-Arnold should be a top priority to re-sign. At only 26 years old, he`s the team`s vice-captain and a local player who has been with Liverpool since he was six.
He is also incredibly unique. If Alexander-Arnold joins Real Madrid, there isn`t a like-for-like replacement available. Any player who comes close to his abilities would cost Liverpool a lot of money, while they could lose Alexander-Arnold for free when his contract ends. (There`s a small chance FIFA might allow clubs in the Club World Cup like Madrid to sign players early, which could mean Liverpool gets a small fee for him before his contract ends on June 30th).
To understand how important Alexander-Arnold is, consider this: Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Florian Wirtz, Vinicius Junior, Bruno Fernandes, Thomas Muller, Bukayo Saka, Julian Brandt, Kylian Mbappe, and Rafael Leao are the only players who have more assists than him (38) in league and European games since the 2021-22 season. Alexander-Arnold`s attacking output isn`t just good for a defender; it`s world-class for any attacking player.
His expected assists (xA) of 41.52 are only surpassed by Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Kimmich. Only Kimmich, a key midfielder for Bayern Munich, progresses the ball into the final third more often. Alexander-Arnold is among the top players in Europe for forward passes, how much value he adds to possession, chances created, and big chances created. He`s one of the best crossers in football, a set-piece expert who would fit in with legends like Roberto Carlos, David Beckham, and Toni Kroos.
This season might seem slightly less impactful for Alexander-Arnold, as he`s been used a bit more cautiously 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 games, he would excel. His defensive weaknesses have been pointed out at Liverpool, and top left wingers can cause him problems. But at Madrid, he`d be playing alongside world-class defenders who can cover him. Jurgen Klopp found ways to let Alexander-Arnold attack freely, and Carlo Ancelotti or his replacement could easily do the same. Madrid already has players who can support him defensively.
For Liverpool, finding a replacement will be very difficult. Some midfielders or inverted full-backs might offer similar ball progression, but they won`t provide the same attacking creativity in the final third. To get that, you`d need a more traditional attacking full-back, but it`s hard to find one who can also control the game from the right side.
Reece James once looked like a potential rival for the title of best right-back, but his role at Chelsea has taken a toll. The closest comparison to Alexander-Arnold might be Pedro Porro at Tottenham. However, Tottenham would demand a high price, and he`s not quite at Alexander-Arnold`s level.
Liverpool has a promising young right-back in Conor Bradley, and when he`s been fit, there`s been talk that he could replace Alexander-Arnold. Bradley is clearly talented at 21, and with the manager wanting to strengthen the attack this summer, it might be seen as a cost-effective solution to replace a potentially departing player with an internal option.
Still, losing Alexander-Arnold would leave a big gap in Liverpool`s team, equivalent to 1.2 chances created per 90 minutes, 0.17xA, 10 passes (seven into the attacking third), and other top-level stats. Only Alexander-Arnold can truly fill that void. It would take a team effort to compensate for his absence.
