John Arne Riise believes Liverpool will need to enter the transfer market for a new left-back this summer to provide increased competition for Andy Robertson. And the 2005 Champions League winner says Trent Alexander-Arnold should still be considered a "legend" if he joins Real Madrid on a free transfer later this year.

Robertson has spent much of the season rotating with Kostas Tsimikas at left-back and speculation has been growing in recent weeks linking the club with a long-term successor in the position.

Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez is one of a handful who are reportedly under consideration, while Wolves' Rayan Ait-Nouri and Antonee Robinson, of Fulham, are two others who have also been mooted.

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Riise made 348 appearances for the club across a seven-year career on the left side of the defence and the Norwegian thinks this summer might be the right time to move for someone who can challenge Robertson going forward.

“I'm not sure there's a need for Liverpool to strengthen, but I think we do need a more prolific goal-scoring striker," Riise told Oddspedia. “I do love Darwin Nunez and how he fights, but the pressure can’t be just on Mohamed Salah as a winger.

“I think there could also be some more pressure on Andy Robertson at left-back. To be honest, I feel for him because I was in the same position many years ago when I left Liverpool. My last season was not up to my usual standards and then people started talking about the need to sign a new left back.

“Now, people are talking about the same thing with Robertson at the club. I do think that Robertson just needs a bigger push from a player who can push him harder than Kostas Tsimikas can. Then I think we can get the Robertson back that we all know.”

Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold remains a target for Real Madrid, who can speak to the player's representatives about joining as a free agent at the end of the campaign.

Liverpool rejected an approach from the Champions League holders at the end of December but with los Blancos free to talk directly to Alexander-Arnold's camp, speculation of an end-of-season switch has not subsided.

Riise added: “A big miss would be Trent Alexander-Arnold’s positioning, when you watch him play he plays at right back but he's more like a 70-feet player, he goes forward as a winger.

“Offensive qualities are his main quality, he sees a pass that nobody else sees, he can cross the ball like nobody else can cross, he can shoot, take set pieces and I also think he's improved defensively, he is so important.

“Liverpool don't have that type of player in the team at the moment and I don't think there's anybody like him in the world either, hopefully he will stay.

“It's difficult because you have to realise as a player, you want everything. Yes you want to be looked at as a legend, but he will be a legend no matter what happens because of what he's done and where he came from, winning everything.

“However, players do sometimes need another challenge and to go to Real Madrid or Barcelona, that might be somebody's dream from a young age, so people have to realise it's not because he doesn't like Liverpool, it's just that it's a short career.

“He might want another challenge and you have to respect that. A few weeks ago I was sure he was going to leave, I'm not so sure now because it takes time but hopefully he will stay for the sake of the quality he has.”