Liverpool facing battle to keep Alexander-Arnold from Euro giants, says Brazilian legend Cafu
BRAZILIAN legend Cafu reckons Liverpool face a battle to keep Trent Alexander-Arnold out of the clutches of Europe’s giants.
But the 2002 World Cup-winning captain is backing his fellow countryman Roberto Firmino to fire Liverpool to a first Premier League title since 1990.
And in an exclusive interview with SunSport, former right-back Cafu spoke in glowing terms about Alexander-Arnold, 21, who plays in the same position and who has excelled since breaking into Jurgen Klopp’s first team.
Alexander-Arnold made his top-flight debut three years ago and will have seen his valuation rocket since the Champions League final triumph over Tottenham in June.
And Cafu thinks big clubs around the world might tempt Liverpool with an offer next summer.
The 49-year-old, who won 142 caps for Brazil and also won the World Cup in 1994, said: “Trent has been one of the better players in the league and he is one of the main reasons why Liverpool are where they are.
“At the end of the season we could see a big trade with him, as he is not only a great defender but he can also help and move forward and sideways with and without the ball.
“For that reason he has been great in scoring goals and is what I would call a ‘quarterback scorer’.
“To any young player, the key word is always commitment.
“Young players need to have a strong commitment to the position they take on.
“This is my No 1 piece of advice. It’s what I teach to others.”
Liverpool entertain Manchester City at Anfield today in a blockbuster Premier League clash.
Klopp’s side are unbeaten in the league after 11 matches and if they win, they would go NINE points clear of Pep Guardiola’s men.
Firmino has three goals this season but is still tipped to end the club’s long drought for a league championship. Cafu said: “First of all, I’m a big fan of Liverpool.
“Second, with the basics of what Liverpool have now, they have all the conditions and ability due to the strength of the team to win the league title.
“Firmino can help a lot as he has been on the rise and really grown as a player in Liverpool.
“He is in a period that he is on fire and constantly growing with the team.
“We all saw this in his latest game with the Brazilian team.
“Firmino is a great player. He can play either side and has powerful contact with the ball in any position.
“Today we can say that Firmino is one of the better players in the world.
“The difference in his game on the field is noticeable to all.
“Firmino is also admired for his assistance on the field.
“What Jurgen Klopp has done is bring the team together with a very strong presence and powerful position on the field.”
Cafu is a proud ambassador of VeganNation, which recently bought 15,000 acres of the Amazon on a ten-year lease.
This follows a summer where large parts of the Brazilian rainforest were ravaged by mass fires.
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He said: “Saving the Amazon is not only a Brazilian responsibility.
“It’s a global one that is crucial for us moving towards a sustainable reality.
“That is why we must unite in our efforts and gather all forces of humanity to rise up to this great challenge.”
For more information on the Amazon cause, please visit vegannation.io