Liverpool's hopes of keeping hold of Trent Alexander-Arnold appear to have taken a hit after multiple reports on Saturday suggested that Real Madrid is convinced that it will end up signing the right-back on a free transfer next summer.

It is no secret that the Reds find themselves in a tricky spot regarding the contracts of several key players, but where the club has received encouragement from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah over their keenness to stay at Anfield, there has been no such public positivity from Alexander-Arnold.

In fairness to the right-back, he stated in September that he had no intention of his talks over a renewal playing out in public, but his silence has been amplified by the obvious desire of Van Dijk and Salah to stay.

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The general consensus all along has been that it would not be financially viable for Liverpool to extend the contracts of all three players, and Alexander-Arnold will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with Madrid from January 1 onwards.

While Alexander-Arnold remains a Liverpool player for now, Reds sporting director Richard Hughes will be planning for a future without the England international, and we asked Elon Musk's Grok AI system to name three players who Liverpool could sign to replace him. Here's what it said:

Jeremie Frimpong (24): The Bayer Leverkusen right-back has been frequently cited as a prime candidate due to his high offensive output and experience in the Bundesliga. His performances under Xabi Alonso have marked him as a player who could potentially fill the void left by Alexander-Arnold.

Vanderson (23): Currently playing for AS Monaco, Vanderson is another name on Liverpool's radar. Known for his defensive solidity and occasional forays forward, he could provide a balanced approach to the right-back position.

Michael Kayode (20): The young Fiorentina defender has also been mentioned as a possible target. Although less experienced than the others, his potential and performances in Serie A have caught the attention of Liverpool scouts.

Whoever Liverpool replaces Alexander-Arnold with — should he end up leaving, of course — will have an awfully tough act to follow, but no player is bigger than the club, and the Reds will be well-placed to succeed with or without him in the squad under the leadership of Arne Slot.