Liverpool have already signed their next right-back and he's coming | OneFootball

So, if not those two, then who?

What if there answer lies in a player who Liverpool have already signed. 22-year-old Luca Stephenson arrived at Liverpool in 2018 and was dubbed as the next Jordan Henderson, having been signed from Sunderland.

So far Stephenson hasn't quite lived up to those comparisons but he has been very reliable with his performances on loan and at academy level.

Typically a midfielder, during his loan spell at Dundee United he has transitioned into a right-back and a wing-back.

This season he has been in great form, making seven goal contributions in the Scottish Premiership and catching the eye with his ability to consistently win duels and make contributions going forward.

Stephenson won Dundee United's Player of the Month for January recently, and it seems like the fans are extremely happy with his performances.

His performances this season have been so impressive it reminds us of another current Liverpool player who made his mark at the same club.

Andy Robertson caught the eye at Dundee United during the 2013/14 season before making the step-up to the Premier League at Hull City and ultimately ending-up at Liverpool.

Stephenson is a bit older than Robertson was at the time and he will have to skip the Hull City step. However, given how impressive he was in pre-season for Liverpool's first-team last summer, he could easily become the Reds' next right-back.

Slot seems to be a big fan of him and given there may be budget constraints, solving the right-back problem in-house may be preferable for Hughes, too.

Having signed him all those years ago from Sunderland, few perhaps would have envisaged this scenario. But now, the Reds just need to be patient.