With Trent Alexander-Arnold heading to Real Madrid in the summer, Liverpool are planning for a future beyond their homegrown star and Flamengo’s Wesley Franca has emerged as a serious contender to fill the void at right-back.
Whoever steps into Alexander-Arnold’s boots at Anfield won’t just be replacing one of the most technically gifted right-backs in world football they’ll be tasked with carrying forward the legacy of a player who has been central to Liverpool’s resurgence in the modern era.
A local lad from West Derby who became a Champions League and Premier League winner, Trent has become synonymous with the Arne Slot era’s attacking dynamism and tactical evolution.
Replacing him is not just a matter of finding quality – it’s about finding someone who can carry the weight of expectation.
Liverpool’s interest in Wesley Franca heats up
According to reports out of Brazil, Liverpool reached out to Flamengo in March to enquire about Wesley Franca, a 20-year-old right-back with lightning pace and impressive ball-playing ability.
And now, Flamengo’s own sporting director, José Boto, has acknowledged that the player’s days in the Brazilian top flight may be numbered.
“When I arrived at Flamengo, Wesley already had some offers on the table,” Boto revealed. “I had conversations with him and the staff and gave my opinion as a football man.
“If he continued to develop, if he went to the national team, he would last another year with other clubs wanting him. Really – with the way he plays now, with the needs of the European market – it will not be easy for him to stay here after the summer window.”
Flamengo prepare for bids
Boto confirmed that Flamengo are bracing for an exit, already scouting replacements and assessing options in case Europe comes calling.
“There are not many right-backs in the world with the technical ability and speed that he has,” he added. “We have a value in our head, the player’s staff knows it, the player knows it.”
Liverpool aren’t the only club reportedly watching Wesley, but with Trent’s possible departure drawing nearer, the Reds may be more motivated than most to move swiftly.
Slot is believed to admire multiple profiles for the right-back role – including Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong and Feyenoord’s Givairo Read – but Wesley’s age, technical ceiling, and international credentials make him an increasingly appealing option.
Liverpool will undoubtedly do everything in their power to retain Alexander-Arnold, but if the England star does make the leap to Real Madrid, the Reds may have already lined up a worthy successor.
