Liverpool might already have a ready set replacement for the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold and his name is Conor Bradley.
If you somehow have missed the news that Alexander-Arnold will be departing Liverpool Football Club this summer, well, now you know. Process that as you need to.
With that earthshattering news in the background, one thought might be what are the Reds to do now at right-back? The name Jeremie Frimpong has been bantered about, but perhaps the club already have their answer in-house.
The 21-year old Northern Ireland international is more than capable of stepping in right now for the the departing incumbent. Here are three reasons why Conor Bradley can do the job replacing No. 66.
1. Proven experience at the highest level
Much like TAA, Bradley was thrown into the deep end as a youngster and asked to swim, and he has done that and more.
He first showed his top-end potential in League One while on loan at Bolton where he played 52 times across all competitions and scored 7 goals with 5 assists. He returned to Anfield a changed player and one that was ready for the spotlight.
He's already a key player for his national team as he even plays in a more advanced role with more responsibilities laid at his feet, and he has so far risen to the occasion for the Green and White Army.
He's played in Champions League matches, derby's, finals and more for Liverpool already. Bradley was perhaps the best player on the pitch in the 2024 League Cup triumph over Chelsea.
He will not shy away from the extra responsiblity and the pressure will only push him to keep growing. He's shown a maturity well beyond his young years, and that will only improve with more and more game time.
2. Defensive Tenacity
Season after season the biggest knock on Alexander-Arnold was his lack of devotion on the defensive end of the pitch.
While I do think this was blown out of proportion to an extent, there is no denying the Englishman preferred to do his damage on the ball further up the pitch.
Bradley, while also eager to get forward, is also just as eager to get stuck into a challenge from the opening whistle. He defends with a fiery passion that cannot be coached into a player, they either have it or they don't.
The way he defends is very symbolic with the mindset of Liverpool, full go and no filters. Just see where it takes you in the moment.
Who could forget Bradley getting in the face of Chelsea captain Ben Chilwell in the early stages of that EFL Cup Final? He has no fear and he might already be a better defender than Trent ever was.
3. Trust within the club
Perhaps one of the biggest factors going in favor of Bradley over an outside signing is he knows the club and the club knows him.
He's been in and around the first team enough to know what the pressures and realities are at Anfield.
He has earned the trust of Arne Slot and his staff as well as the players in the squad. When Bradley has stepped in for a missing Alexander-Arnold, the level has not noticeably dipped and sometimes you can't even tell the difference.
Giving him a real shot at being the top option at right-back might be the right thing to do as it would negate the need for a vetting period for the new arrival.
That's important early on when a club is trying to challenge on all fronts and every result matters. He could very well hit the ground running next season and kick on in his second campaign in the Slot system.
These reasons and more give credence to the idea that Liverpool don't need to look very far for Trent Alexander-Arnold's replacement.