While intrigue continues to surround Liverpool's summer plans for their midfield, the subplot at right-back is almost equally as compelling.
For years Trent Alexander-Arnold has been firmly established as the first-choice on the right side of the back four for good reason. The Liverpool-born defender has helped redefine how the role of a full-back is viewed within the modern game and he has been the creative fulcrum for a Reds side that has won every top-level trophy under Jurgen Klopp.
"He's Kevin De Bruyne at right-back," Jamie Carragher memorable christened Alexander-Arnold a few years back but as the England international prepares to end a long, 11-month season against North Macedonia on Monday evening, questions over the next stage of the 24-year-old's evolution have never been louder.
Alexander-Arnold shone in a traditional central midfield spot on Friday night as England beat a limited Malta side 4-0 at the Ta'Qali National Stadium, with Gareth Southgate's side continuing their perfect Euro 2024 qualifying record against the team ranked 172 in the FIFA rankings.
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With the No.10 on his back, the Reds star turned in a performance befitting of the shirt most associated with playmakers, playing a major part in two goals with some trademark passing while notching a eye-catching strike himself from outside the box.
"It feels natural, I will say that," Alexander-Arnold said after the game on Friday. "It's somewhere I can see myself playing. I want to make sure I am regularly on the team sheet and that was a good foundation to build on.
"I think the role I've been playing with club football, it's a new avenue. It's still early doors, it's only one match, but it's important that when I get the opportunity, I take it."
Having played as something of a hybrid full-back-slash-midfielder for the final two months of the Premier League campaign as the Reds went 11 games unbeaten, the midfield experiment was rather more pronounced and less subtle for Southgate's Three Lions on Friday evening.
A huge caveat is that it was the lowly Malta who were on the receiving end of Alexander-Arnold's menacing passing range in Mdina but the truth is, the Liverpool star has been doing the very same to Premier League outfits since the tactical tweak was made in April.
The No.66 won the Reds' Player of the Month award for April following his seamless adaptation to the new role and at a time when Liverpool are scouring the continent for the best blend of players to help inject some energy and quality into the central areas, Klopp has a ready-made operator ready to step in at any given time.
But despite being a lifelong Liverpool fan who has been one of the stars of a golden period under Klopp since 2018, those tasked with such issues should not neglect the fact that Alexander-Arnold is entering the final two years of a contract signed in 2021. Anfield chiefs can surely not afford to find themselves in a position where the heartbeat of the team has moved into the final year of his terms.
"He is an unbelievable player, don’t get me wrong,” Manchester United's Luke Shaw says. "He is so, so good. An incredible talent. When the ball is at his feet, then there aren’t many better than him.
“I think he has shown that. You never know, it might be the start of something new (playing as a No.10). It was his first proper game there. I know he does it for Liverpool, but I think he was brilliant.
“For him now, it’s all about learning that role. A new role. I think he has the qualities and mindset to learn and understand the different roles he’s going to take. He is a fantastic player and one of the best in the world.”
The tiresome discourse around Alexander-Arnold's defensive capabilities have fallen silent for now as the conversation centres around just how special the West Derby-born player is in possession. The big question for Klopp is whether the tweak is here to stay or not.
Much will depend on what can be done in the transfer window but given the questions that surround Klopp and his coaching staff where Alexander-Arnold is now concerned. The Reds have been linked to both Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munich and Ajax's Jurrien Timber with Klopp admitting last month: “If [Alexander-Arnold in midfield] is long term we will see it just depends on the new players that we bring in."
In the coming weeks, however, the door has opened up for Conor Bradley as he gets set to show what he can do during the pre-season schedule.
The Northern Ireland international was outstanding in Bolton's EFL Trophy triumph over Plymouth Argyle at Wembley in April and generally enjoyed a superb year in League One. Bradley featured as many as 53 times and climbed into double figures for assists as a marauding right-back; something which has been en vogue at Liverpool in recent years thanks to Alexander-Arnold's exploits.
It would represent quite the leap for Bradley to go from playing with Bolton to starring at Anfield in the space of a pre-season schedule but with Calvin Ramsay having gone out on loan and James Milner departing for Brighton as a free agent, opportunity knocks next month for the 19-year-old.
Bradley says: "Obviously it's down to the gaffer, whatever he decides. Trent is a special talent, he's one of a kind, he's a brilliant footballer. We'll just have to wait and see, see how I do in pre-season, and then we go from there.
"I go back, do pre-season with Liverpool, which I'm really looking forward to. Go back there, see what happens. We haven't spoken about what exactly is going to happen but obviously it's a big one for me so I'm looking forward to it."
Considering Alexander-Arnold has established himself as one of the most high profile players on the continent during a relatively short career where he has won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Club World Cup to date, the prospect of effectively 'replacing' him in this Liverpool set-up is a rare chance that Bradley will surely be desperate to show he can take.
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