Here he FINALLY is! The perfect right-back for Liverpool

The perfect right-back for Liverpool is finally here.

Richard Hughes' toughest challenge at Anfield so far has been trying to find the ideal replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

He had placed his trust in Conor Bradley, which he was completely right to do. Unfortunately, the Northern Irishman has been tormented by injuries ever since.

Jeremie Frimpong has come in and he's been the same, although with him it seems like Arne Slot prefers him as a winger over being a right-back.

So, Alexander-Arnold's heir is yet to be found. But this summer could present Liverpool with the perfect opportunity to finally get someone in.

The chances are Bradley will not be back for pre-season. Joe Gomez could depart on a permanent deal in the summer, which means there will be very little cover at right-back.

So, Liverpool will simply have to enter the market. And the perfect player has arrived for them to sign.

Liverpool's ideal right-back is someone who can carry the ball forward comfortably, is excellent on the ball, capable of playing key forward passes and can also play in perhaps another role - similar to Gomez.

He doesn't necessarily have to be a like-for-like replacement to Alexander-Arnold. He was one of a kind, a simply unique profile that is impossible to replicate.

But he does ideally have to be a competent player who can make a difference in that role and who can be very impactful in the position.

Full-backs play a key role in modern football. Just look at how important Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi are in Paris Saint Germain's success.

Liverpool need similar players.

Right now, Pierre-Ismaëlo Ganiou seems like the perfect right-back for Liverpool.

You may have never heard of the 20-year-old who just burst onto the scene in France for RC Lens but he is a really exciting profile.

Ganiou has always traditionally been a wing-back and a right-back during his youth career but this season at Lens, he's been used in a back three as a right-sided centre-back.

In this role he has a lot of freedom to go forward and make an impact in the opposition's final third.

Ganiou is quick and he's excellent technically. He can find clever passes in the final third and he can also take players on in.

His ability to both be comfortable playing as an overlapping player on the flanks as well as someone who can come into the middle makes him tailor-made for Slot, who likes to rotate the role of his full-back.

Ganiou is simply an excellent defender and someone who can run up and down from one box to the other. His intensity, his forward passing ability makes the perfect player for Liverpool.

In Ligue 1 this season he ranks among the top five defenders for progressive passes (10.85 per 90 minutes) with an impressive 79% pass completion rate.

He also ranks among the top 10 defenders for forward passes per 90 minutes (27 per 90 minutes).

Being only 20-years-old, he's third and second player in Europe's top five leagues among U21 players in the two metrics.

So, we are talking about an elite talent here, who finally seems good enough to replace Alexander-Arnold, and who Liverpool should absolutely be looking to sign in the summer.

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