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Jamie Carragher urges Conor Bradley to now model his game on one Liverpool player, not Trent Alexander-Arnold
As Trent Alexander-Arnold nears a move to Real Madrid, all eyes will be on Conor Bradley next season to see if he is a suitable heir to one of the greatest right-backs in Premier League history.
Liverpool believe Bradley can succeed Alexander-Arnold as he is set to become the Reds’ first-choice right-back in the 2025/2026 campaign.
It’s safe to say that the 21-year-old has big shoes to fill, with Trent Alexander-Arnold reminding the world of his one-of-a-kind quality against Leicester City as he came off the bench to blast a left-footed volley past Mads Hermansen.
Jurgen Klopp has always loved Bradley and Arne Slot seems to have full faith in the youngster as well.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has now chimed in on what Conor Bradley needs to do impress as the successor to Alexander-Arnold — with the England international set to depart Anfield and putting an end to his legendary partnership with Andy Robertson.
Jamie Carragher says Conor Bradley should replicate Andy Robertson over Trent Alexander-Arnold
Carragher explained that Alexander-Arnold is a unique player who Liverpool cannot directly replace and Bradley should not be thinking of trying to model his game on him — with Andy Robertson being the full-back he must try to replicate.
Jamie Carragher feels unlike Alexander-Arnold, Bradley’s aim should be to try and become the complete full-back that Robertson has been since his move to Merseyside in 2017.
The pundit said on Sky Sports: “You can’t replace him. The reason we talk about him so much, I think he’s the most talked-about full-back we’ve probably ever seen in the Premier League is because he’s unique. He’s different. And you’ve just mentioned about him defensively, now most top full-backs don’t get it thrown at them that they’re not very good defensively.”
“But he’s so unique on the ball, I think I said four or five years ago, it’s like having Kevin De Bruyne play at right-back. Now that’s what it feels like with his ability on the ball, he can come on and change games, so Liverpool aren’t going to replace that. So, Liverpool need to replace his creativity, they’re not going to do that from right-back. They need, maybe to do that from an attacking midfield position, maybe a left-wing position so the team has to evolve that way.”
“Now here they can replace him is Conor Bradley is a right-back, Conor Bradley shouldn’t look at Trent and think, ‘I want to be like him.’ He’s got to be like Andy Robertson was when he was in his prime, a proper full-back, up and down, at the winger, aggressive, maybe overlapping, getting crosses in, underlapping is what the Liverpool full-backs like to do because you’re not going to be able to replace him so forget that.”
How good does Andy Robertson think Conor Bradley can become?
Liverpool have offered Bradley a new contract, which shows how much they value his presence.
Bradley is a quality full-back, who as Jamie Carragher stated is more similar of a player to Robertson than Alexander-Arnold — who is one of the most unique right-backs the game has seen in years.
The good news for Liverpool is that the Scottish left-back rates his teammate very highly, saying via BeanymanSports in February last year: “He knows he can play at this level. Now, it’s about consistency. It’s about doing it week in, week out and that’s what makes a top player and he’s got all the attributes to become a top player.”
“He just needs to keep showing that on a regular basis and that’s what he’s doing just now.”
Robertson continued to laud Bradley, adding: “Well, he can go to the very top, that’s a fact. Of course, he needs a little bit of luck and he needs to keep on having the attitude that he’s got just now because it’s second to none. He wants to improve, he wants to get better, he’s always improving and when he’s like that, the sky’s the limit for him because he’s got every other attribute that you could ask for from a full-back so he’s an incredible talent.”
Alexander-Arnold called Bradley a “future star” as well.
When arguably the greatest full-back duo the Premier League has ever seen speak as highly as they do about a young prospect, their word has to be taken as bond.
Now, the responsibility lies of Bradley’s shoulders to nail down his position as Liverpool’s starting right-back for years to come and cementing his place in the side by playing his natural game.