Liverpool have finally found their Trent Alexander-Arnold successor: He will cost £39m | OneFootball

Liverpool have so far failed in their quest to move on from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 27-year-old left the club last summer - joining Real Madrid for £10m. And sporting director Richard Hughes made two big moves to safeguard the future of the right-back slot.

Jeremie Frimpong was brought in from Bayer Leverkusen for £29m and Conor Bradley was given a new lucrative long-term contract.

Owing to injury neither deal has yet worked out.

Frimpong, 25, has suffered multiple muscle injuries this season and in any case Arne Slot now seems to prefer using him further up the pitch.

Bradley has been afflicted by serious injury trouble over the past two years since breaking into the first-team picture. And the Northern Ireland captain has been absent since January with a knee injury and won’t play again until next season.

Far from the position being covered it now looks like Liverpool are going to have to go back into the market for another performer.

Liverpool want £39m deal for Marco Palestra

According to a report in Caught Offside Italian international Marco Palestra is now emerging as a serious option.

“Liverpool are making “serious preparations” to secure the signing of Atalanta’s young defender Marco Palestra in the upcoming summer transfer window,” the report reads.

“The English club view Palestra as a solution to strengthen squad depth and possibly as a long-term replacement option.”

Fellow Premier League clubs Newcastle and Tottenham have also been linked with the 21-year-old - who has impressed in Serie A this season on loan at Cagliari.

Italian interest is represented by Inter Milan and Juventus but “Liverpool is considered the strongest candidate financially,” says the report, adding that a deal could cost around €45m (£39m).

Marco Palestra: Situation summary

Marco Palestra is a 21-year-old Italian right-sided defender/wing-back, currently on loan at Cagliari from Atalanta, and regarded as one of Serie A’s standout young wide players.

Operating mainly on the right, he combines athletic overlap with end-product, contributing a goal and four assists in 2025/26 while ranking strongly for minutes and creative output among Serie A wide men.

Palestra’s profile is that of a modern, aggressive wing-back: high engine, strong recovery running, and willingness to attack space, underpinned by top-flight exposure in Serie A and European competition with Atalanta, including a Europa League win in 2023/24.

Contracted to Atalanta and on loan to Cagliari, he is approaching a pivotal decision point this summer, with his parent club so far reluctant to sell despite heavy interest.

Inter Milan and Liverpool are both monitoring him closely, with reported bids and valuations between €35–50m and talk of a potential €45m deal, suggesting a high-profile move is likely if Atalanta soften their stance.