Liverpool have reportedly sent scouts to watch their ideal replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold – and he plays for a Premier League rival.
Alexander-Arnold’s contract at Liverpool is set to expire next summer, and he has yet to agree to new terms. The club’s top priority is to persuade the 25-year-old to stay, with reports from David Ornstein indicating that Liverpool has offered him a new deal.
However, Alexander-Arnold is reportedly drawing significant interest from Real Madrid, especially with their primary right-back, Dani Carvajal, out for the season due to an ACL injury. By the time Carvajal returns, he will be 33, and there may be doubts about whether he can regain his peak form, making Real’s interest in Alexander-Arnold even more likely.
Reports suggest that Liverpool has already identified an unexpected replacement and has sent scouts to monitor a Premier League player. This player is Chelsea’s Malo Gusto, who joined the club from Lyon last summer. Gusto has quickly become Chelsea’s first-choice right-back, partly due to Reece James’ ongoing injury problems, and he has demonstrated versatility by playing at left-back as well.
Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown told Football Insider, “Liverpool has Conor Bradley, who has performed exceptionally well when called upon and will play an important role in their plans. But Gusto is highly rated, and their scouts have been following him closely this season.”
Gusto is not guaranteed a regular starting spot at Chelsea either, as Reece James is expected to return to the lineup once he recovers from injury. This opens the door for Liverpool to offer him regular first-team football, which they believe could be enough to convince him to make the move.
The 21-year-old France international recorded six assists last season, and his potential makes him a promising long-term investment for Liverpool.
However, a significant hurdle is that Chelsea made a substantial investment in Gusto when they paid ÂŁ30.7 million for him. He signed a seven-year deal that keeps him at Stamford Bridge until 2030, meaning Liverpool would likely have to offer a considerably higher sum to bring him to Anfield.
