“If it is long term we will see. It just depends on the new players that we bring in.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been a revelation for Liverpool as an inverted full-back in recent weeks, with such a positional tweak, which he sees him step into a central midfield role when the Reds are on the ball, coinciding with Jurgen Klopp’s side late surge for an unlikely top four finish.
It has also come into play since Liverpool withdrew from the race to sign long-time Jude Bellingham this summer, with the Borussia Dortmund man having long since touted as the would-be heart-beat of the next Reds midfield and the player to solve the issues they’ve faced in transition this season. Perhaps, in their re-positioned right-back, the solution to their midfield woes was right under their noses all along.
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Given the England international and Liverpool’s disappointing form for the majority of the season, such a switch has inevitably prompted further questions regarding Alexander-Arnold’s long term positional future. Will Klopp revert to his traditional full-back set-up in a 4-3-3 formation next year after the Reds’ planned midfield revamp, is the inverted full-back tweak here to stay, or could the 24-year-old even make a permanent switch into midfield?
Admitting the new role suits his right-back, Klopp admitted last week, after Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Brentford, that summer transfer business will help guide the call.
“If it is long term we will see it just depends on the new players that we bring in,” the German told Sky Sports post-match. “It suits him extremely well and I think the chance he set up for Darwin (Nunez) was special and he was strong defensively and he still has to adapt to his role in this formation.
“We were a bit passive in the last game, but apart from that Trent has played almost every minute in the past six games in an intense period with games every three days, and with that it is outstanding with what he is doing.”
Liverpool are expected to bring in two, if not three, new midfielders this summer with Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister believed to be their primary targets. Meanwhile, Klopp has confirmed that Northern Ireland right-back Conor Bradley will be looked at in pre-season following a successful campaign on loan at Bolton Wanderers, while Calvin Ramsay will be looking to establish himself at Anfield after an injury-plagued maiden campaign.
In other words, the Reds will have options and can be flexible with their future usage of Alexander-Arnold as a result. But it still begs the question whether they should look to bring in a more senior right-back too, to enable the England international to play in a natural midfield role if they should wish. While a curveball transfer solution a few months ago, the 24-year-old's current form in the middle doesn't make it impossible.
One such player is actually set to come available on the market this summer - Man City’s Joao Cancelo.
The Premier League’s original ‘inverted full-back’, the Portuguese was a standout star for Pep Guardiola’s men as they won the Premier League on the last day of the season. Returning one goal and seven assists from 36 league appearances, Cancelo’s performances saw him named in the PFA Premier League team of the year.
Only Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, and Chelsea’s Reece James would lay on more goals for their team-mates. Meanwhile, boasting 10 assists in all competitions, he has already matched such a total this year despite navigating a rather more challenging campaign.
A falling out with Guardiola saw him loaned to Bayern Munich back in January. While the Bundesliga outfit possess an option to sign the Portuguese permanently for £61m, they reportedly don’t plan to activate such a clause and instead would favour extending his temporary switch.
Yet according to Spanish outlet Sport, Cancelo himself doesn’t want to stay at Bayern Munich, having not been a guaranteed starter during his time with the club. Meanwhile, they also claim he has no intention of returning to Man City, with his agent, Jorge Mendes, said to instead be working on a possible loan move to Barcelona, though the report concedes he is not Xavi’s first-choice target.
Meanwhile, 90min reports that Arsenal and Real Madrid are also possible destinations, with Mikel Arteta said to be keen to link up with the Portuguese again at the Emirates. However, given Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have helped the Gunners push Man City for the title this season, it remains to be seen if Guardiola would be willing to sanction such a switch this time around.
Regardless, the fact that he is available, and could even be moved out on loan once again, certainly presents an opportunity to sign a quality player this summer. Meanwhile, if City don’t wish to sign off on another loan exit, they might even have no choice but to lower their asking-price.
And while there is no suggestion of Liverpool entering the race to sign Cancelo at this time, it would still be an intriguing prospect if they did boast an alternative of such quality to Alexander-Arnold. His passing and ability on the ball would certainly ensure he fits into the Reds’ new set-up.
For starters, his presence would free up the Scouser to play purely in midfield if Klopp so wished, with Cancelo an equally attacking threat when crossing from outwide or when utilised in a central role and playing through midfield. Alternatively, with the Portuguese capable of playing on either flank, he could also offer an inverted option for Liverpool himself, either in place of Alexander-Arnold on the right or switching such a role to the left, with Andy Robertson or Joe Gomez helping make up the makeshift back three depending on flank.
Given he’s already suited to the Reds’ new set-up, and could help unlock even more from Alexander-Arnold, he would be the perfect recruit in one sense. Imagine the possibility of Cancelo stepping forward to partner Liverpool’s number 66 in midfield? But that doesn’t make it likely.
While there would be logic in such a transfer for the Reds, with the Portuguese set to turn 29 later this month, his age counts against him. Meanwhile, deciding to spread their transfer kitty on a number of targets rather than just Bellingham for example, it’s debatable whether Liverpool would even consider a move for Cancelo as doable financially.
And then there is the debate regarding whether City would even negotiate with the Reds. Klopp’s men might not be title-contenders this year, but Guardiola would perhaps be reluctant to help improve them next season.
Klopp even hinted that such transfers are impossible when discussing Gabriel Jesus' Man City exit last October ahead of his side's own clash with Arsenal.
“I don’t know him on a personal basis, but I’ve always liked him as a player,” the German admitted. “I know City wouldn’t have sold him to any club, but with Arsenal the distance was enough, geographically."
Cancelo was one of the very best full-backs in Europe last year, along with Alexander-Arnold. While neither player has lived up to such a label this year, at least the Liverpool man has taken an almighty step in the right direction.
His future is still uncertain, in terms of position next season, but he remains central to Klopp’s next Reds side. In contrast, Cancelo’s future is uncertain for very different reasons.
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