Liverpool boss Arne Slot reportedly wants to hand Conor Bradley a new contract (Image: Getty)
Liverpool are reportedly prepared to offer Conor Bradley a bumper new contract as one of Arne Slot’s top summer priorities. It is claimed that the Dutch head coach, who formally starts his new job today (Saturday), is a fan of the attacking right-back and wants his long-term future resolved.
Bradley broke into the Liverpool team last season when an injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold opened a space at right-back. The Northern Ireland international excelled, making 24 appearances across all competitions.
The 20-year-old is capable of playing as a marauding wing-back or tucking inside, a similar role to the one adopted by Alexander-Arnold in the final year of Jurgen Klopp’s reign. That versatility will be vital for Slot in his maiden campaign at Anfield.
According to TEAMTalk, a ‘top priority’ for Liverpool this summer is getting Bradley tied down to a new contract. The former Bolton loanee signed fresh terms in December with his current contract ending in 2027.
However, that agreement came prior to Bradley’s breakthrough into Klopp’s side. A new deal would reflect his development over the last six months.
Klopp was a huge fan of Bradley but had the unenviable job of picking between him and England international Alexander-Arnold.
“Conor Bradley played a few games or football where we all thought: oh, wow! What was that? But the truth is that nobody is like Trent, that’s the way it is,” Klopp said in April.
The German later felt that those comments had been misconstrued as a criticism of Bradley, and clarified what he meant.
Arne Slot will be delighted with Liverpool’s top summer priority (Image: Getty)
He said: “I hope I wasn’t misunderstood, in the last game I said Conor Bradley played a few games but Trent is Trent. I have to say Conor is Conor. Conor was for a while the best player, a revelation, unbelievably good, incredibly good. Honestly.
“Somewhere I saw the headline and I thought, ‘maybe I said that but it’s not what I wanted to say’. But I spoke with Conor already which is much more important. He’s really exceptional as well.”
Slot is set for a busy first summer at Anfield. He formally begins his new job today having agreed to leave Feyenoord to replace Klopp.
As part of a restructuring, the 44-year-old Dutchman is Liverpool’s first head coach, with the Reds moving away from the manager job title given to Klopp. Michael Edwards and Julian Ward have returned to the club in senior football roles, while Richard Hughes is the new sporting director.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1905938/Liverpool-Arne-Slot-Conor-Bradley