Trent Alexander-Arnold had to play in another new position this summer as Jordan Henderson leaves Liverpool and Fabinho will follow
When Liverpool planned their long-awaited midfield renewal, it was not expected that they would be left without a defensive midfielder just over two weeks before the start of the new season.
Already knowing they would be without Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on a free transfer this summer, the Reds were quick to sign Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai before the start of pre-season. Little did they know, however, that those preparations would soon be interrupted by transfer interests from Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
The Liverpool captain completed a controversial £12million move to Al-Ettifaq on Thursday, while the Brazilian is set to join him in the Gulf state, where a £40million move to Al-Ittihad is finalized . But as the Reds are the only senior midfielders, their departures have left Jurgen Klopp in a dilemma on the eve of the new season. Liverpool are already considering the possibility of signing a third new midfielder this summer, with Southampton’s Romeo Lavia named as Fabinho’s long-term replacement. But the Reds are now prioritizing such a push, having already rejected a £38m bid for the Belgium international.
With a second offer now expected for the 19-year-old, worth around £40-45million, Liverpool are looking to at least strengthen their position ahead of their Premier League opener at Chelsea on Sunday 13 august. But Stefan Bajcetic also brags: there’s no escaping the fact that having two teenagers who have combined just 55 senior caps is a gamble because they’re available as natural midfielders.
Klopp’s task over the next two weeks, having to build a revamped midfield already this summer, is far from enviable – especially as the Reds have also used the pre-season to develop further with their Revamped team of three to fight -2- Formation 2-3. But while existing players gradually adapt to a new system is one thing, its newly forged engine room will definitely be thrown into the deep end.
Whether Liverpool will target a fourth midfielder once Fabinho’s departure is confirmed remains to be seen, with pressure on the likes of Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara to provide at least some midfield familiarity as the new signings adjust to their new environment.
Yet the former, alongside Harvey Elliott, has just returned for pre-season after winning the Under-21 European Championship with England. Meanwhile, the latter, together with Bajcetic, has not yet fully returned to training and both have been excluded from the trip for the Reds’ trip to Singapore, where they continue their rehabilitation from the injury.
Even if Liverpool manage to sign Lavia, they still risk falling short in midfield when the new season kicks off. And given how quickly the start of the new campaign is approaching for the Reds, Klopp could be forced to keep what is currently a forced experience.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was reinvented to great effect as an inverted right-back in the final months of last season, moving into midfield alongside Fabinho when Liverpool were on the ball. But in the absence of the Brazilian and Henderson, he started as Klopp’s number six in recent friendlies against Karlsruher and Furth.
In the first of those two games, Szoboszlai and Bobby Clark started on either side of him, while Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo were selected for the latter. Meanwhile, Conor Bradley, who was also left out of Singapore’s 27-man travel squad, was used as a reverse full-back in both games. Bradley’s absence is due to minor injury, so the opportunity to play Joe Gomez at right-back and try Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas at full-back reversed on the opposition wing at least leaves the door open for Alexander to move forward. -Arnold in midfield if needed.
The England international has regularly been the subject of debate over his long-term position, with many insisting that he should be turned into a midfielder over the years. His new hybrid role has certainly given Liverpool the best of both worlds, with Klopp previously insisting the 24-year-old was the best right-back in the world.
Alexander-Arnold actually thrived for the Three Lions as number eight in June’s international breakout, scoring one goal and one assist in two emphatic Euro 2024 qualifying victories over Malta and North Macedonia. But the last time Gareth Southgate tried out the defender in such a position, against Andorra in September 2021, Klopp was unimpressed. “In this game, in a game where, for example, England are so dominant or where we are so dominant that Trent could play in midfield, I would prefer him to be the six than the eight in this case. , Klopp told Sky Sports ahead of his return to club football.
“It’s possible, but why make the best right-back in the world a midfielder? I don’t really understand that.”
With Liverpool in need of new midfielders this summer, it has again been suggested that Alexander-Arnold could be reinvented in a new role, with the Reds potentially set to target a new right-back.
But having previously said he would prefer to see the 24-year-old in a deeper role if selected in the engine room, Klopp has been forced to do just that in recent weeks. Whether he will be able to get him back to the reverse right-back role in Singapore against Leicester City and Bayern Munich remains to be seen.
But having previously played that role alongside Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, he at least had an advantage over Lavia or another new signing ahead of the Premier League opener against Chelsea. Given the Belgian’s relative inexperience and the lack of time he would need to spend with his new team-mates ahead of the move to Stamford Bridge, Klopp might be wise to make the most of his squad’s familiarity to be able to start the new season Season.
Therefore, Alexander-Arnold should remain an option as Liverpool’s number six and Fabinho’s short-term replacement, at least for now.
Liverpool finished last season 22 points behind champions Manchester City, despite finding form in the closing months of the season to finish fifth; Watch Chelsea vs Liverpool on Super Sunday 13th August live on Sky Sports, kick off 4.30pm.
Liverpool still have a lot of work to do in the transfer market, but Jürgen Klopp also needs to work on improving the players he already has, including Darwin Núñez.
