The Reds academy graduate has finally confirmed he will depart Anfield at the end of the season, and attentions will now turn to finding his successor

The worst-kept secret in football is out: Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season. The second worst-kept secret, that he will join Real Madrid on a free transfer, will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Once the dust settles and the initial bitterness surrounding the academy graduate’s agonisingly unprofitable exit subsides, attentions at Anfield will turn to finding an able replacement to one of the world’s best creative full-backs.

Of course, that will not be an easy task, but Liverpool’s newly-established status as the best team in England and the fact such a significant role at one of the biggest clubs in the world is more or less vacant should mean that they have the pick of the best talent on the market.

GOAL, then, has nine potential

Ola Aina

If Liverpool want Premier League experience, Nottingham Forest favourite Ola Aina could well be an outsider for the role of Alexander-Arnold’s replacement at Anfield, although his arrival might not be sufficient to appease a frustrated fanbase.

Aina has been one of Forest’s standout performers this season (both on Snapchat and the pitch), contributing to their top-five push at both ends of the pitch, and with his contract expiring this summer he could be a shrewd option – perhaps someone who could be interchanged with Conor Bradley at the age of 28.

Whether the Nigeria international would be considered good enough to replace Trent in the long-term, though, remains to be seen – especially for a club that will be defending its Premier League crown.

Conor Bradley

How much do Liverpool trust Bradley? The true answer to that question is going to become much clearer in the coming months as the club prepares for life without Alexander-Arnold.

The options are pretty binary: either go out and spend big or back the 21-year-old academy graduate to come good on the significant potential he has shown since making a breakthrough last season.

Bradley could certainly grow into the role, but there are signs Slot isn’t fully convinced just yet, and injuries have hampered his progress somewhat. He will be determined to make the position his own in pre-season.

Andrea Cambiaso

Predominantly a left-back so far in his career, Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso is equally adept on the opposite flank, and – like Alexander-Arnold – he likes to invert. The versatile 25-year-old has played in virtually every position in the wide areas this season, on both flanks.

“Maybe I have uncommon skills for a wide player, as I like moving inside,” he previously told Gazzetta. “And I don’t know if I’m better on the right or left. I’ve talked about it with my coaches without coming to any conclusion. I’m good, it seems, on both sides.”

Strong both defensively and going forward, Cambiaso has already been linked with Liverpool, but the Reds would face stiff competition from Manchester City, who came very close to signing the Italy international in January. He would be the most costly signing on this list at around £38

Dodo

Another Serie A full-back who has now been linked with Liverpool is Fiorentina’s Dodo. Pacey and with an eye for a pass, the Brazilian has a similar profile to Man City loanee Kyle Walker – often bombing forwards and relying on his eye-catching recovery pace to make up ground defensively.

The 26-year-old would certainly suit Liverpool’s cut-and-thrust style, but there would be question marks over whether he would be able to match the physical demands of the Premier League. One potential boon, though, is that Dodo would probably come significantly cheaper than some others on this list if the Reds find themselves priced out in their bid to remedy a very obvious area of need.

Denzel Dumfries

Denzel Dumfries is certainly someone who could match or surpass Alexander-Arnold’s attacking output, as he is renowned as one of Europe’s best offensive full-backs for his exploits with Serie A big hitters Inter.

The Dutchman has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, and those rumours will likely intensify again with Liverpool on the lookout for a new right-back in the coming months.

The problem remains, however, that Dumfries can be a liability defensively – often caught out of position or too easily beaten by more technical dribblers. Of course, his potential predecessor wasn’t exactly known as the best defender around, but this still feels like something of a risk.

Martim Fernandes

One of the latest talents off Portugal’s perpetual conveyor belt, Martim Fernandes – who was included in the NXGN 2025 list of the best wonderkids in world football – seems like a very strong fit for the role of Liverpool’s new right-back as a defender cut from the same cloth as Alexander-Arnold.

The 19-year-old boasts excellent technique and crossing ability, and is adept at progressing the play and supporting the attack, although that can occasionally be at the expense of his defensive duties despite his impressive work rate. Fernandes could cost as little as £20m ($27m), too.

Signing another youngster would surely be a blocker to Bradley’s progress , though, and Liverpool would be loathe to lose another high-potential academy graduate should he become unhappy playing second fiddle to the teenager.

Jeremie Frimpong

The man who will be many fans’ preferred option to replace the outgoing Alexander-Arnold, Jeremie Frimpong has gone from strength to strength at Bayer Leverkusen, famously playing a key role in Die Werkself’s unbeaten league season and resulting Bundesliga title win in 2023-24.

Another of the finest attacking full-backs around, Liverpool will probably have similar defensive concerns about the Dutchman to some others on this list, but there’s no reason the Reds wouldn’t be willing to sacrifice some of their solidity, as was the case with Alexander-Arnold.

With his manager Xabi Alonso likely to move on, the Man City academy graduate may be tempted to test himself in the Premier League and link up with his compatriot Slot and the Dutch contingent at Anfield. A rumoured £34m ($45m) price tag would be a bargain for a player of his calibre.

Givairo Read

You guessed it: it’s another forward-thinking full-back. Gavairo Read has been a shining light amid a tough season for Feyenoord, with the 18-year-old emerging as a potential star of the future and, subsequently, a target for Liverpool.

He has all the attributes to succeed at Anfield, including searing pace and excellent crossing ability – albeit not quite as advanced as Alexander-Arnold’s world-class technique. Slot notably blooded Read into the first team in Rotterdam and gave him his debut, with the defender saying the now-Reds boss helped him “develop quickly”. Read has also admitted Liverpool are his favourite English team.

However, whether not not a reunion is on the cards remains to be seen. Read’s presence would be a potential obstacle to Bradley’s development, and he has suggested he wants to stay with Feyenoord for the time being. Barcelona’s rumoured transfer interest is another problem.

Vanderson

Another attack-minded Brazilian, Vanderson has been touted as the man to fill Trent’s boots on Merseyside, and he looks ready to make the step up from Ligue 1 having joined Monaco from boyhood club Gremio.

Unlike some other names on this list, the 23-year-old has been able to find the right balance between attack and defence, developing a reputation as a smart reader of the game who is both physical, fast and committed.

His height and lack of elite experience could count against him, but valued at £33m ($44m) he would be something of a bargain and could be bedded in by initially playing in tandem with Bradley, with one eventually emerging as the deserved starter.