03 July 2023 , 10:43
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Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders believes Trent Alexander-Arnold is already England's best midfielder - insisting "he can do everything Declan Rice does".
Alexander-Arnold, 24, is a right-back by trade and has achieved significant success in that position after being named in UEFA's Team of the Year in 2019 and FIFA's FIFPro World11 in 2020. Yet the England international faced criticism last season, as Liverpool struggled.
Jurgen Klopp's side finished fifth in the Premier League, with Alexander-Arnold's defensive skills scrutinised. That has led Klopp to push the player into central midfield when Liverpool are in possession. He slots back into right-back when the Reds are defending.
The tweak to Alexander-Arnold's role allowed him to produce seven assists during the final 10 games of the season, as Liverpool went unbeaten in a late top-four push. Saunders thinks Klopp should convert Alexander-Arnold into a full-time midfielder.
Saunders, who spent the 1991/92 campaign at Anfield, has urged Klopp to forget about signing another midfielder and bring in a right-back instead. The Reds have already signed two midfielders this summer in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
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Speaking to talkSPORT, Saunders said: "I think Trent is the best English midfield player in England - I think he's better than all of them. If you play him in midfield he can do everything that Declan Rice does, everything, but also he can hit passes that Thiago hits.
Alexander-Arnold has played in midfield for England (Bagu Blanco/REX/Shutterstock)Do you agree with Dean Saunders? Let us know in the comments below!
"If I was Jurgen Klopp I'd buy a right-back and play Trent in midfield. Trent was brought up as a midfield player, he ended up at full-back. He knows what to do.
"You've got to have wing mirrors on when you play in the middle of midfield because you're playing with your back to goal and facing the other way. I think he can do both. I think Klopp eventually will play Trent in the middle of midfield."
That is high praise from Saunders, as Rice is on the verge of becoming the most expensive English footballer of all time. The West Ham captain will complete a £105million move to Arsenal, eclipsing Jack Grealish's £100m transfer to Manchester City two years ago.
Alexander-Arnold's success towards the back end of last season saw him recalled to the England squad for June's Euro 2024 qualifiers. Playing as a midfielder, the Liverpool hero scored against Malta and provided an assist against North Macedonia.
Alexander-Arnold is likely to continue playing in midfield for the Three Lions. England manager Gareth Southgate said after the 7-0 win against North Macedonia: "Tonight he had to make a lot of decisions and he did it almost immaculately. He regained a lot of balls.
"His pressing was good, so for me, he has got everything to play in there. I didn’t even think twice about starting him in there. It might give us something completely different. The vision and the passing range and the connection with Bukayo [Saka] for his second goal."