Liverpool are in fierce negotiations with right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, as they are in a race against the clock to extend the world’s most valuable right back before Real Madrid swoop in to sign him as a free agent.
In a little over a month, Alexander-Arnold will be available for Real Madrid to sign to a pre-contract agreement for a free transfer in summer 2025, and with no rumored handshake agreement between TAA’s representation and Madrid president Florentino Perez, Liverpool are still in the driver’s seat.
It makes sense for Alexander-Arnold to spend his entire career in Liverpool, but we have seen, in the past, how many great Premier League stars like Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard cannot resist the allure of the Santiago Bernabeu.
In case Liverpool cannot keep Trent Alexander-Arnold, they need to be proactive about finding a replacement, and Diario Sport reports that Liverpool have begun to show interest in one of Barcelona’s right back transfer targets, young Ajax standout Devyne Rensch.
The 21-year-old right back is wanted by another Premier League giant, Tottenham, and he is off to a solid start in the Eredivisie this season with a key pass per game and 3.5 combined tackles and interceptions per game with just 0.3 dribbles completed allowed.
Rensch has decent creative output, but he looks like a much more defensive option than TAA, and, in all reality, would be a better backup option for Alexander-Arnold than an actual replacement as a starter.
Filling TAA’s shoes at right back will be impossible. He is literally a generationally great creative right back and an underrated one-on-one defender. Perhaps Rensch would be a defensive upgrade because his numbers are so good in that regard, but he can’t hold a candle to TAA offensively.
Finding a young right back who is ready to start for Liverpool in 2025/26 will be just about impossible, but Rensch is a quality U23 player who is worth keeping on a shortlist.
Obviously, the priority for the Reds needs to be keeping Alexander-Arnold at Anfield at any reasonable cost.
