Liverpool have reportedly decided to give Conor Bradley the chance to claim Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s starting spot on the right side of defence.
The Reds will take on West Ham United on Sunday at Anfield in the Premier League, with the Merseysiders needing just three more victories in their last seven games to guarantee the title.
Boss Arne Slot and supporters were boosted on Friday with news that talisman Mohamed Salah signed a new contract, while captain Virgil van Dijk is also expected to extend his stay at the club.
However, vice-captain Alexander-Arnold is widely thought to have decided to leave for free in the summer upon the expiry of his contract, and that has given Slot a selection dilemma at right-back.
Football Insider claim that the Dutch boss will look to give backup Bradley a chance to make the starting spot his own, but they also report that Liverpool could target Bayer Leverkusen‘s Jeremie Frimpong to provide him with competition.
Can Bradley replace Alexander-Arnold?
Bradley has already proven himself capable of impacting the first team positively, with the Northern Irishman registering an assist for Luis Diaz against Fulham last Sunday.
Alexander-Arnold’s greatest strength is undoubtedly his immense passing ability, and few players in world football can claim to be as good at passing as the right-back.
While Bradley will not replicate Alexander-Arnold’s creative output, he is arguably a better athlete than the Englishman given he often charges up and down the right flank.
The 21-year-old’s athleticism could be vital for Salah, who is 32 and may need powerful runners down the right side of the pitch in order to maintain his performance levels.
Why Liverpool might need to sign another right-back
Despite Bradley’s obvious talent, there are concerns about how reliable the defender can be from a fitness perspective given he has missed 47 games due to injury since the beginning of 2023-24.
Considering he is only 21, there is a risk that exposing him to more football could make his injury issues worse and potentially shorten his career at the highest level.
It would not be surprising if Liverpool targeted another right-back to come in and compete with Bradley for a place in the XI, though it remains to be seen if Frimpong could be tempted to join without a guaranteed starting role.
