Once, Liverpool weren’t very good, and then, over the intervening Jurgen Klopp-led years, Anfield became a goliath at the height of the European game.
Arne Slot has quite the squad at his disposal, but he’s still worked wonders in underpinning his outfit with a new degree of defensive fortitude.
Liverpool’s PL Starts after 11 Games (past 5 years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | W | D | L | GF | GA | Rank (points) |
24/25 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 1st (28) |
23/24 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 10 | 3rd (24) |
22/23 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 12 | 8th (17) |
21/22 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 11 | 4th (22) |
20/21 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 17 | 2nd (24) |
Stats via Transfermarkt | ||||||
That flourishing backline might be about to lose a key member, though. Liverpool may well be enjoying the final days of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
If Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves Liverpool…
If Alexander-Arnold leaves Liverpool, Liverpool will endure. The Reds have risen to pre-eminent standing over the past decade, winning Premier League and Champions League titles and many other honours.
The influential full-back has risen from youth alongside his boyhood club, now with 325 appearances, 19 goals and 83 assists to his name. Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said that “it’s like having Kevin De Bruyne at right-back” – that is the depth of his technical ability.
But Real Madrid are knocking. The La Liga giants, possibly the greatest football club of all time, rarely fail to ensnare their top targets, but Alexander-Arnold’s blood runs Liverpool red, and the adoring fanbase will hope and pray that he signs a new contract.
His deal is up next summer though. FSG have been forced to assess the market and identify a replacement.
Liverpool already eyeing Trent replacement
Conor Bradley is obviously one of the most talented young defenders in the Premier League, but he’s 21 and inexperienced. Taking Trent’s place might be too heavy a burden at this stage. Let him continue to sharpen those impressive tools, Arne.
Anfield might need a more experienced replacement, and who better than a Premier League star also on Real Madrid’s wishlist? Pedro Porro is one of Tottenham Hotspur‘s finest players, and, according to Liverpool.com, he’s a viable option for the Merseysiders.
Locking into discussions with Daniel Levy is an unenviable thing, but he’s a wonderful player and is believed to have a price tag worth £60m – or in that ballpark at least.
Porro could be perfect for Slot’s Liverpool. Let’s have a look at why.
Why Pedro Porro could be perfect for Liverpool
Porro, 25, joined Tottenham from Sporting Lisbon in a deal worth £40m in 2023, and he’s become a key player under Ange Postecoglou, having been hailed for his “titanic” performances by The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare, notching 20 goal contributions across 67 matches.
It would be foolish to scour the market searching for a right-back of the same otherworldly creative quality as Alexander-Arnold, but in Porro, at least Liverpool would have a player with impressive playmaking numbers.
Moreover, FBref record the Spain international as Alexander-Arnold’s most comparable player, crunching and collating the data to reach such a conclusion.
Indeed, the Spurs sensation ranks among the top 12% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for progressive passes per 90.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
Of course, in an ideal world, Real Madrid will honour their Spanish roots and add Porro, strengthening their homeland connection.
Let’s be candid though: Alexander-Arnold is bound to be Los Blancos’ first choice. If he leaves, Porro must be signed as his replacement, with Bradley continuing to hone his craft as Porro’s understudy.
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