Sky Sports pundit Danny Mills has claimed that the emergence of Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool has been the reason behind Nathaniel Clyne’s fall down the pecking order.
Clyne, 28, is in the final year of his contract at Anfield and after suffering from a long-term spell on the sidelines with an injury, he was sent on loan to Bournemouth mid-way through last season.
While the ex-Southampton right-back was at the Vitality Stadium, Alexander-Arnold went from strength to strength as Liverpool came second in the Premier League and won the Champions League title.
Mills doesn’t see a way back for Clyne now that Alexander-Arnold has stamped his authority in the Reds first team and the ex-England international has claimed that Jurgen Klopp will no longer see a place for him in his plans at Anfield.
“He went to Liverpool and at the time it looked like he was going to be England’s number two right back for a very long time,” Mills told Football Insider.
“I always thought he was a very good defender, brought up playing football in the right way. It just wasn’t to be. You get injured, somebody comes in – Trent Alexander-Arnold – and suddenly he maybe shows he has the edge on you. That’s life.
“If you do miss a period through injury and somebody gets the chance and does well, there’s nothing you can do about it, you just have to accept it. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been absolutely exceptional. He has been a revelation at Liverpool.
“He (Klopp) will think: ‘Right, I’ve got two right backs, both internationals, both earning good money – one is surplus to requirements.’”
OPINION
Clyne has been a great servant for Liverpool over the last few years but in Alexander-Arnold, the Merseyside club has one of the best right-backs in world football and he is only going to get better in the coming years as he reaches his potential. Clyne, on the other hand, is sadly old news. He is 28-years-old, has suffered from injury issues and wasn’t exactly amazing while on loan at Bournemouth last season as he made 15 total appearances and played a role in just four league wins. Clyne could be up for grabs this summer as he is in the last year of his contract and it will be interesting to see if any of his former clubs, like Crystal Palace or Southampton, are able to snap him up. Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future at Selhurst Park is uncertain and Clyne might be a decent replacement at right-back should the youngster head to Manchester United.
