Liverpool eyeing new £40k-a-week Premier League right-back to replace Trent
da apostaganha： Liverpool have reportedly “identified” a “fantastic” replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold this summer, with the player in question excelling in the Premier League this season.
Trent's Liverpool future still unknown
da bet7： With Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk tied down to their respective new two-year deals in recent weeks, Reds supporters have been able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
That said, there are still huge doubts surrounding the future of Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool, with the vice-captain heavily linked with a move from his boyhood club to Real Madrid.
The fact that the 26-year-old has done little to play down the rumours at any point suggests that his head may well have been turned by a high-profile summer switch to the Santiago Bernabeu, in a decision that would have the potential to harm his legacy at Anfield.
If Alexander-Arnold does leave Liverpool this summer, it is vital that a top-quality replacement comes in, with SC Freiburg’s Kiliann Sildillia mentioned as a target. Bayer Leverkusen ace Jeremie Frimpong has also been backed to join the Reds, having shone under Xabi Alonso for the reigning Bundesliga champions.
Liverpool eyeing "fantastic" Trent replacement
According to an update from Caught Offside on Sunday, Liverpool have “identified” Nottingham Forest right-back Ola Aina as a new target and option to replace Alexander-Arnold at the end of the season, assuming he leaves.
The 28-year-old has shone for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side throughout the 2024/25 campaign, proving to be a key player in their push for unlikely Champions League qualification.
The £40,000-a-week Aina is a strong option for Liverpool alongside the likes of Sildillia and Frimpong this summer, with his performances for Forest showing what an asset he could be.
The Nigerian has averaged 2.9 clearances and 0.4 aerial duel wins per game in the Premier League across 30 appearances, which is superior to Alexander-Arnold’s tallies in that area, as the table below illustrates.
Aina vs. Alexander-Arnold in the PL this season
Aina
Alexander-Arnold
Appearances
30
28
Starts
30
26
Minutes played
2575
2158
Goals
2
2
Assists
1
6
Clearances per game
2.9
1.6
Aerial duel wins per game
0.4
0.1
Interceptions per game
1.0
1.1
Aina has also been lauded for one attacking moment of quality earlier this season, with Glenn Murray full of praise for his goal against Aston Villa:
“Sometimes when you come on to a shot like that the temptation can be to leather the ball with your laces. But, it’s a side foot, it’s controlled and it’s a fantastic finish, it really is.”
At 28, Aina is two years older than Alexander-Arnold, however, and wouldn’t necessarily represent a long-term option for Liverpool, which is arguably the biggest negative against them signing him.
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The Reds would arguably be wiser to look at younger targets, such as those mentioned above, allowing them to sign someone with more scope to improve as the years pass.