ALAN SHEARER TIPS LIVERPOOL TO REPLACE TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD WITH EX-MAN UTD TARGET
Alan Shearer has named the ‘incredible’ right-back who could replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool.
On Monday, Alexander-Arnold confirmed the long-expected news that he would be leaving Anfield upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.
The defender, who first joined Liverpool at the age of six, is expected to join Real Madrid where he’ll link up with good friend and England teammate Jude Bellingham.
Arne Slot now has the job of finding a replacement, an extremely difficult task given Alexander-Arnold’s status as one of the best and most unique right-backs in the world.
Understudy Conor Bradley has great potential but is inexperienced and has struggled with injuries, so it is thought Liverpool will have to dip into the transfer market.
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And Premier League legend Shearer believes one full-back could be great option for Slot, telling Betfair: ‘Although Denzel Dumfries plays in a completely different system with Inter Milan, there’s no doubt that when I’ve seen him in that system, he’s shone.
‘His energy has been incredible and the most impressive thing for me is how good he’s been in forward positions. He got a couple of goals, the assist in the [Champions League] semi-finals.
‘Defensively is a different question, but certainly offensively he’s a very, very good player. Arne Slot will know him better than anyone being a fellow Dutchman.
‘Signing for Liverpool would be an option, but he’s got the chance of winning the Champions League and he’s also got a chance of winning the league so he’s obviously in a very healthy position.’
Dumfries burst onto the scene playing for the Netherlands at Euro 2020 and subsequently joined Inter, where he has gone from strength-to-strength, winning the Serie A title and two Coppa Italias.
He could add the Champions League to his trophy collection after a starring role in Inter’s semi-final victory over Barcelona, recording two goals and three assists across the two-legs.
Previously linked with Chelsea and Manchester United, Gary Neville recently stated that the 29-year-old would be perfect for Ruben Amorim’s side given he predominantly plays as a wingback.
Arne Slot breaks silence of Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool exit
Speaking in his press conference ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Arsenal, Slot addressed Alexander-Arnold’s departure for the first time:
‘I think like everybody who likes Liverpool and is a fan of Liverpool, we are disappointed for him leaving. Because not only a good human leaving, but a very good full-back is leaving us as well.
‘But I also worked at clubs like AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord where every season a very good player or multiple very good players have left the club, so I am maybe a bit more used to it.
‘But the experience I have – and this club as well – is that if a very good player is leaving, the next very good player will step up, and that is probably what is going to happen now.
‘I am not here to tell the fans how they should react. We are all disappointed but Trent is the first one also who he said he would prefer us as a team and a club not to be not too much distracted by this announcement.
‘I am hoping all the energy on Sunday goes to the players and less as possible to Trent – unless it is positive then they can do whatever they want.’
It is not known whether Inter – three points behind Napoli with three games to go in the Serie A title race – would be willing to sell Dumfries, whose contract runs until 2028.
What is known is that Bradley will be in the line-up ahead of Alexander-Arnold when Liverpool welcome Arsenal to Anfield on Sunday.
‘Conor will start, he needs playing time, games under his belt to be prepared for next season,’ Slot said on Friday.
‘Unfortunately he hasn’t been fit all season but to become a good player you have to be fit all season but we have a lot of confidence in him as a very good full-back for Liverpool.’
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2025-05-09T11:25:51Z