Slot’s shortlist 

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Liverpool’s celebratory end to the season was hit by a somewhat expected lull in excitement on Monday, when Trent Alexander-Arnold and the club confirmed that the defender would be leaving Anfield at the end of the season. “Giving everything day in, day out for 20 years, I’ve got to a point now where I feel like I need a new change, a new challenge for me as a player and as a person. And I think now is the right time for me to do that,” said the England international in a statement on the club website. “I’m just hoping that we’re able to carry on winning games, the noise [around my decision] doesn’t take away from the fact of what we’ve achieved this season.”

Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to complete a free transfer to Real Madrid when the summer transfer window opens, following months of reported discussions between the player and the Spanish giants. And while the defender’s legacy at Liverpool is beyond doubt, his departure now leaves Arne Slot and his team in a tricky position. Having made over 350 appearances for the club since 2016, Alexander-Arnold had made the right-back position his own and allowed the club to prioritise other areas of the pitch for the best part of 10 years. So who will the Premier League giants now turn to in order to replace the gifted full-back next season? 

Conor Bradley – Liverpool

Before Liverpool even sneak a glance at what the transfer market would have to offer this summer, Slot would likely remind his recruitment department that the club may already have a ready-made replacement for Alexander-Arnold within their own squad. Like his predecessor in the right-back position, Conor Bradley has worked his way up the club’s youth ranks and has been patiently waiting to stake a claim for a starting role in Liverpool’s defence. Although Bradley has only started 11% of Liverpool’s league games this season, he has often impressed when given the opportunity to start for Slot’s team. One such example came in the 2-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League, where the young defender kept none other than Kylian Mbappé at bay for much of the game. Speaking after the match, Slot was full of praise for Bradley, stating: “Conor did very well, but I’m totally not surprised at him doing so well, because he showed this already last season and showed this season in training sessions and games as well.” Liverpool will almost certainly sign another right-back this summer, but that starting position is most likely Bradley’s to lose next season. 

Givairo Read – Feyenoord

If Liverpool are intent on bringing in a like-for-like replacement for Alexander-Arnold in the summer, they may be tempted to consider a serious look at Feyenoord defender Givairo Read. The young full-back made the move to the Eredivisie giants from Volendam in 2023, but within the year was already demanding a spot in the first team due to his talents. It was none other than Slot that handed Read his first-team debut in a Europa League clash with Roma in February 2024 and since then Read has gone from strength to strength with the club. Alongside an impressive array of defensive talents – which have proved crucial as part of a Feyenoord defence that have conceded just 33 goals in the league this season – Read has also bagged no less than two goals and eight assists in all competitions for the club. And could be the perfect prospect to bolster Liverpool’s defence next season. 

Nicolò Savona – Juventus 

When it comes to rearing defenders, few clubs in European football can call upon as impressive a record as Juventus and in Nicolò Savona they have another young defensive star in the making. Savona made his first team debut at the start of this season and has since gone on to become a regular starter for the Turin side. Unlike more specialised full-backs like Bradley or Read, Savona can play on either flank or even as a defensive midfielder. Such versatility also earned the young defender a call up to the Italian national team in November, having only made his debut for the U21 side two months earlier. Standing at 1.92 meters (6 ft 3 inches) tall, Savona has drawn comparisons to former Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini, who the young player has already spoken to in search of guidance. “He is a person who gave me a lot of advice,” said Savona in an interview with Tuttomercatoweb. “The biggest one is to always maintain the same humility and work hard to achieve the goals set. From a technical point of view, to improve training after training and to work hard.”

Zakaria El Ouahdi – Genk 

Another defender that could find himself on Liverpool’s transfer shortlist this summer is none other than Genk star Zakaria El Ouahdi. The 23-year-old talent made the move to Genk in the summer of 2023, shortly after guiding Morocco’s U23 team to the 2023 U23 African Cup of Nations, where El Ouahdi was named in the tournament’s Best XI at right back. Since then, El Ouahdi has gone from strength to strength for Genk, making no less than 38 appearances to date for the club. With impressive speed and technique, El Ouahdi can play as a right-back or right wing-back in a similar vein to Alexander-Arnold and clearly thrives in the final third, as shown by his six goals and two assists for Genk this season. 

Tino Livramento – Newcastle 

If Liverpool instead wanted to make a statement signing in the summer to appease fans concerned about Alexander-Arnold’s departure, then the club may do well to consider an offer for Newcastle right-back Tino Livramento. Although the young talent had to play second fiddle to Kieran Trippier last season, he’s since become Newcastle’s first-choice right-back this season and seems to be going from strength to strength for the top-four club. Such are Livramento’s defensive talents and comfort on the ball that the England talent has often played at left-back for Eddie Howe’s side over the course of the last two seasons, which has earned him plenty of praise from his manager. “I’ve been really impressed with how he’s adapted to playing on the opposite side of the pitch,” noted Howe in April. “He did it for us last season and did it really well for a number of games, and he’s done it well again and arguably if anything attacks better off that left-hand side than he has off the right.” However, with a market value of €35m, the young defender would likely cost Liverpool considerably more than the other names on this list.