Liverpool need Trent Alexander-Arnold, he will unlock struggling star’s potential

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the perfect player to unlock Liverpool’s club-record signing Alexander Isak.

That’s the opinion of talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor amid talk of a potentially controversial return to Anfield for the right-back.

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Alexander-Arnold contentiously left Liverpool for Real Madrid last summer, departing his boyhood club for the La Liga giants on a free transfer.

The English right-back, who was overlooked by Thomas Tuchel for the 2026 World Cup, endured a disappointing debut campaign in Spain as he managed just 14 league starts in an injury-hit season.

The addition of Dutchman Denzel Dumfries may further limit the 27-year-old’s game time under Jose Mourinho in the upcoming campaign.

In the same transfer window Alexander-Arnold signed for Madrid, Isak completed his Premier League record transfer to Anfield, though the Swedish hitman struggled in his debut campaign on Merseyside, s scoring just four goals for the club so far.

Liverpool ‘need’ Trent

And Agbonlahor believes that the best way for Liverpool to maximise Isak’s talent is to bring Alexander-Arnold back to the Reds.

Speaking with Ade Oladipo on Drive, the former Aston Villa star said: “What’s crazy is when you look at Liverpool now, they need him.

“They need Trent more than they needed him before. Because now, yes, [Sadio] Mane, and [Mohamed] Salah, and [Roberto] Firmino did start to get in the box maybe. But you’ve got your number nine, your focal point now, no Salah anymore.”

Liverpool signed Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen last year to replace Alexander-Arnold.

Agbonlahor, though, believes that the Dutchman’s skill set doesn’t match what Liverpool need, continuing: “Isak is the main guy. What does he need? Great delivery. He’s not going to get that from [Jeremie] Frimpong.

“Frimpong’s a wing-back who’s quick and he can get past a couple of players.

“He can’t defend. I’ve seen him defend one v one, can’t defend. His final ball is horrendous.

“So even like Isak’s probably thinking I need some better delivery from that right hand side.”

‘I’ll take him back’

Presenter and Liverpool fan Oladipo was asked whether he’d welcome Trent back given the manner of which he left, as he said: “I’ll take him back…

“I’ll take him back because the options at right-back are so bad. If Conor Bradley was fit, I’d say, give Conor another go. 

“I don’t think Frimpong’s going to work. No. I always feel like that’s an exercise that hasn’t worked.

“Everyone should move on from it. He’s not a right winger. He’s not a full-back. I mean, he didn’t get in the Dutch squad for the World Cup.

“And that’s not the best of squads. So that’s not going to work. And Conor’s always injured. I’ll take him back.”

Agbonlahor and Oladipo’s comments come after Andros Townsend suggested that Liverpool ‘should not turn their nose up’ at the chance to bring Alexander-Arnold back to the club.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, Townsend said: “He doesn’t need another season like he had last time.

“That would have been a big disappointment to him. Secretly, he would have been a little hurt that it never happened, he never really got going and had a few injury issues.

“I think Liverpool should, if they can get any deal done for him on a loan basis for a season, whatever those fees are now, up to £10million for a season, I wouldn’t turn your nose up at that to get that boy back through the door.

“He is top, top drawer.”