Liverpool’s 2024 summer signing priority may have just been revealed by manager

Trent Alexander-Arnold barely raised his head as he whipped one of his quintessential, raking passes forward that evaded the North Macedonia defence

By his own admission, Bukayo Saka didn't have to break his strike to latch on to the ball before emphatically firing home England's fourth goal in their 7-0 triumph on Monday evening.

The Arsenal forward has garnered most of the credit for his quality finish - yet Alexander-Arnold deserved as much praise.

Operating in midfield is something that sections of fans and several pundits alike have been clamouring for over the past few years.

England boss Gareth Southgate had previously tried it in September 2021. However, the experiment lasted only 45 minutes. But when the Liverpool player was deployed in the middle of the park for victories over Malta and North Macedonia as the Three Lions took another step towards Euros 2024 qualification, the confidence from the outset was palpable.

That's mainly because Alexander-Arnold was deployed in a similar role for the Reds at the business end of the 2022-23 season. The Liverpool academy product had established himself at right-back in Jurgen Klopp's side after his first-team breakthrough in the 2016-17 campaign He developed into one of the world's best and played a key role as his boyhood club won every major trophy possible.

But to rectify Liverpool's faltering form last term, Klopp decided to deploy Alexander-Arnold as a hybrid right-back/ centre-midfielder.

Following a chastening 3-0 loss at Wolves, there were serious doubts about whether Liverpool would even qualify for the Europa Conference League as they sat a miserable 10th in the table. But after going unbeaten in their final 11 Premier League matches, a fifth-place finish was secured. Much of that was down to Alexander-Arnold being rejuvenated - he was back to his swaggering best.

Southgate took it one step further by starting the 24-year-old in the engine room for England's two matches during the international break. It reaped the rewards.

Now there will be no doubt, as there has been for several years, for Alexander-Arnold to be permanently switched to the middle of the park for Liverpool. It's a position he featured throughout his academy years and it is where several pundits - including Kop legend Jamie Carragher - think his future lies.

What's more, Southgate also believes Alexander-Arnold could seamlessly continue in the position.

“The other night he just had to tag the pivot really and he did that well", the England manager said after the victory over 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."

Whether that is the case remains to be seen. However, even Klopp surely must be pondering if he could convert Alexander-Arnold into a full-time midfielder. He's certainly displayed he is capable.

Liverpool are presently short in that area after the exits of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Alexis Mac Allister has been signed from Brighton for £35 million but at least one more is expected to arrive.

However, Klopp does potentially have the chance to change his summer plans. He could park interest in the likes of Khephren Thuram or Manu Kone by solving the problem from within his own squad. That, though, would mean a new right-sided defender would need to be recruited.

Milner was a regular deputy for Alexander-Arnold and can no longer be called on. Joe Gomez is capable of playing in the position yet is favoured at centre-back. And while Conor Bradley enjoyed a scintillating loan spell at Bolton Wanderers, there would be doubts about whether he could make the step up from League One to the top end of the Premier League.

Bayern Munich's Benjamin Pavard was linked earlier this summer, while even Manchester City's Kyle Walker has surprisingly been rumoured as someone who Liverpool have an interest in.

In truth, at this stage of the window, that is unlikely. Klopp admitted that despite the Reds' impressive form at the end of the season that his summer plans had not changed. It would be far too late to go out and start identifying new right-backs who could slot into the system.

But with Thiago Alcantara out of contract in 2024 then that could open a window for Alexander-Arnold to be pushed into the engine room - and would give Liverpool a full year to find someone to fill the void.