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Liverpool Lining Up Move for Perfect Alexander-Arnold Alternative in 'Absolute Unit'
Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Oct 19, 2026, 7:15 PM GMT+1

James Beavis is a Senior Editor at GIVEMESPORT and has worked in the online football media industry for more than 10 years, having graduated with a Sports Journalism degree from Southampton Solent University in 2012.

James joined Football FanCast in 2016 following a three-year spell working for Shoot Magazine, working his way up from freelance writer to editor, before moving across to GMS in 2020.

James has created exclusive, opinion and news content on GIVEMESPORT, with a predominant focus on the Premier League.

He has also developed strong working relationships with top tier journalists such as Fabrizio Romano, Dharmesh Sheth and Ben Jacobs, regularly chatting to them as part of an exclusives initiative.

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Liverpool losing Jeremie Frimpong to injury for the next few weeks has only increased the talk around the right-back position at Anfield.

Liverpool clearly haven't replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold effectively following his move to Real Madrid last summer, as shown by the fact that natural centre-back Ronald Araujo has been playing in the position in recent weeks.

Conor Bradley has yet to fully convince people that he is the long-term solution to the issue, and he has been out injured all season anyway.

Araujo started again there against Brentford on Saturday, which is a damning indictment of where Frimpong currently is as he is supposed to be a specialist right-back, with the Dutchman replacing the Barcelona loanee at half-time at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Iraola clearly wanted a more attacking player at full-back to threaten the Bees, but his cameo lasted just six minutes before he suffered an injury that the Spanish coach says is likely to keep him out until after the next international break in November.

With Dominik Szoboszlai also injured, having sometimes filled in at right-back last term, Iraola will be praying that Araujo stays fit in the coming weeks.

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The latest injuries have raised concerns over the quality and depth of the position, and it's looking more and more likely that new sporting director Julian Ward may need to bring another right-back to the club in 2027.

With Alexander-Arnold currently struggling for minutes under Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu, there have been links over the Merseyside outfit making a sensational move to bring him back to Anfield.

That would likely be difficult for a number of reasons however, as TEAMtalk also claim that they are monitoring 18-year-old Benfica sensation Daniel Banjaqui.

Banjaqui Move More Likely Than Alexander-Arnold

Daniel Banjaqui
via Reuters

Liverpool chiefs may be interested in re-signing Alexander-Arnold, but it is a deal that would be difficult for many reasons.

Firstly, the England international will be on a big salary at the Bernabeu, and the 28-year-old would likely need to accept a pay cut if he was to make the return to Anfield.

Any move would also depend on the right-back wanting to re-join the club he chose to leave less than two years ago, which is far from guaranteed.

Alexander-Arnold, one of the best defenders in world football, is likely to have interest from other big clubs across Europe if Real Madrid do give him the green light to go, and he may prefer one of those options than wearing the red shirt again so soon after leaving.

Banjaqui for Benfica

Appearances

6

Starts

5

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416

One other issue could be the potential reaction to a move from some Liverpool fans, who may have been unimpressed by the way he decided to leave the club for Real on a free transfer.

Banjaqui is a more likely signing for Liverpool, and he would be an exciting one too.

The teenager only turned 18 years of age in March, but he has already made five senior starts for Benfica, having come through the club's famous academy system.

Famous Selected Benfica Academy Graduates:

  • Joao Felix
  • Ruben Dias
  • Bernardo Silva
  • Ederson
  • Joao Cancelo
  • Renato Sanches

That academy has brought through a number of players who have gone on to become huge successes in the Premier League and other top European leagues, and it is clearly a well-trodden path from Benfica to England.

Dave Davis has been speaking recently on the Anfield Index’s Transfer Market Metrics podcast about the 18-year-old, and he has been impressed by what he has seen.

He’s built like a middleweight boxer, isn’t he? He’s an absolute unit, but he is quick and good on the ball.

The general rule in football is that you should never go back, and Liverpool should be looking for the next Alexander-Arnold rather than simply re-signing him.

In Banjaqui, they may have already found the player who could fulfill that desire.

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