Should Trent Alexander-Arnold exit Liverpool this summer then there is a pretty big void for the Reds to fill, and one that hasn’t had the benefit of a big slice of incoming funds from a sale to aid it.

Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid is a blow, and it is no secret that the club and Arne Slot wanted to keep him as part of the team.

That would put him around the £10million mark for the year.

Given the way that Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group traditionally operate in the market it is likely that they will look for someone a little younger to come in and fill that void, and that will mean that the wage outlay will likely be significantly cheaper.

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However, Alexander-Arnold would be leaving on a free transfer, and being 26 and moving to a club overseas would mean that Liverpool get no compensation for his services, despite the fact that they offered him a new deal and he has been in the Reds system since he was a child.

Had there been two or three years on his deal then the club would have been looking at a likely £80million to £100million price tag, and that would have been pure profit given the fact he had no book value.

The club lost leverage by letting it drag on into his final year and to the point where other clubs could speak to him, but what is often overlooked in these matters is the personal preference of the players themselves.

If Alexander-Arnold’s wish had been to test the market and see if he wanted a move then he has more options as a free agent, and it is more financially beneficial.

Quite what has transpired behind closed doors we do not know, and it is rumour and conjecture at this point.

But for Liverpool, while they may be able to shave £2million or £3million of an annual salary for a right back that can eventually step up to be the man, they will still face the reality that such players are likely to be £35million to £50million in the current market, and that is a price tag that would add an amortised cost, at the top end, of £10million per year.

Liverpool have the financial flexibility to manoeuvre in the summer, and they will have already made headway on this being a potential outcome for the club.

Replacing Alexander-Arnold won’t be cheap, though, and clubs know that Liverpool have a real requirement for this summer and they will feel the need to act.

That means the price point might be higher given that clubs know they have pressure, necessity and the money to get a deal done.