Liverpool have had significant trouble replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The ex-Red left the club in 2025 for Real Madrid - with a new contract forthcoming for Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong coming in from Bayer Leverkusen.

Injuries to both - as well as question marks over Frimpong’s form - led to midfielders being tested in that position last season.

This term the club signed Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona - with an option in his contract for a £47m permanent deal.

The Uruguayan stopper has made a good start to life on Merseyside but there’s no question that Liverpool require a better solution in the long term.

Now it’s being claimed in Caught Offside that Michael Kayode has jumped to the top of the Liverpool recruitment team's wishlist .

The Italian, 22, has enjoyed a stellar rise since joining Brentford from Fiorentina back in 2025. A long throw specialist, the ex-Juventus youth has recently made the breakthrough to the national team for good measure.

Last week he scored in a 4-1 UEFA Nations League victory over Turkiye - and is now attracting attention from several top clubs around the continent.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "22-year-old Italy international leaps to the top of Liverpool wishlist" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Live Scores metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 LiveWire Editorial Desk. Readers following "22-year-old Italy international leaps to the top of Liverpool wishlist" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.