Liverpool are keen to bring in a new right-back in the summer as they aim to provide Jurgen Klopp with some upgrades for the new campaign.
Do Liverpool need a new right-back?
The 2022/23 campaign has been one to forget so far for the Reds with their usual title charge put on hold with their struggles seeing them fight for a spot inside the top four.
It has been a turbulent campaign for Liverpool and ending the campaign inside the Champions League spots will still be a huge challenge with a nine-point gap to Newcastle United.
Liverpool's defence has come under criticism this season with the likes of Virgil van Dijk coming under fire for his displays throughout the campaign.
Another player who has been heavily criticised is Trent Alexander-Arnold with the right-back also being slammed continuously within the media.
And it seems as if the £180k-per-week ace could potentially be in line to be replaced over the coming months with Fabrizio Romano alluding to a possible new right-back coming in on his Here We Go podcast:
(14:20) "Then for a new full-back. I'm told that Liverpool are exploring the full-backs market and so this is a possibility."
(36:10) "Also the full-backs because I think they could go for a new right-back, this is the expectation, so this is a possibility."
Could Alexander-Arnold play in central midfield?
Alexander-Arnold has been a player who has received a lot of criticism this season for his defensive ability in the right-back role.
Just last month, Jamie Carragher spoke about the 24-year-old's displays this season and has even suggested he is unlikely to improve at this stage of his career:
"We all know his defending isn't good enough. I don't think it will ever be good enough. We're talking about a player who's played 260 games. It's not going to massively improve… They've got to go and buy a right-back," he said.
And he raises the notion that potentially Alexander-Arnold has actually grown too comfortable in his role at Anfield with no real competition for his spot at right-back.
This could possibly be the case with the prospect of a new right-back could send a message to the England international that his displays need to improve or he will be replaced in the starting XI.
However, there is also a suggestion that perhaps the 24-year-old could excel in a central midfield role with his passing ability potentially outweighing his defensive skills.
Alexander-Arnold ranks inside the top percentile for progressive passes made among other full-backs and inside the upper second percentile for passes attempted (via FBref).
In comparison to Jordan Henderson (1.12), Alexander-Arnold has (2.20) almost provided more than double the number of key passes this season and has recorded more shot-creating actions (3.72) than the Liverpool captain (2.85) (via FBref).
Liverpool's midfield has also been heavily criticised this season and having reportedly dropped out of the race for Jude Bellingham, maybe they have a possible upgrade already in the side.