England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has been a Liverpool stalwart since he was a teenager. Along with left back Andy Robertson, he has become one of the Premier League’s leading attacking defenders, assisting many goals.
Since last season, he has also operated as a false back. When the ball is in his possession, he moves up into midfield to bring rhythm to the attack, while still breaking the deadlock with his long-range passing. In the England national team, he is increasingly used as a midfielder.
Former England defender Jamie Carragher, who played a total of 737 games for Liverpool in his playing days and led the team with Steven Gerrard, has argued to his old club that the country’s juniors should be used in midfield.
“I would love Liverpool to acquire a right-back who could play in the big games and push Alexander-Arnold into midfield,”
“That could be the development for Liverpool to play him in midfield.”
Sky Sports
The possibility remains that the team will move to acquire a defensive midfielder this winter, but at this point, securing a center back is the top priority.
Given that the team acquired four midfielders during the summer transfer period and that young players are developing, further reinforcements may not be necessary.
On the other hand, the reserve right back has been an issue in recent years. Youngsters Calvin Ramsay and Conor Bradley have been given second-choice opportunities, but both have been unable to fulfill their roles due to injury.
With the departure of James Milner, Joe Gomez, originally a center back, has been used in many games this season.
Acquiring a right back who can play the reserve role, like Kostas Tsimikas, a Greek defender on the left side, is also a high priority. It is unclear how much money Liverpool has left, but they should work on strengthening their final line this winter or next summer.
Will Liverpool be able to acquire a reliable defender and make Alexander-Arnold a regular at the bottom of midfield or inside half?