Liverpool’s right-back puzzle and why Conor Bradley holds the key
If you want a single snapshot of where Liverpool’s squad is stretched thin, look at the right side of the back four. For the best part of a year it has been a revolving door, filled by whoever happens to be fit and willing, and that tells us the club has neither a settled starter there nor a convincing long-term plan.
So the latest word on Conor Bradley is more than a routine fitness note. The Northern Ireland defender has not played for 11 months, ever since damaging his knee in the goalless draw with Arsenal back in January 2026. There are now signs he is edging towards a return to training under Andoni Iraola, and in our view that cannot happen quickly enough.
A treatment room that has been far too busy
Bradley is not the only long-term absentee still working his way back from last season. Giovanni Leoni was originally pencilled in for a comeback before the November international break, only for a setback in his knee rehabilitation to push that date back again. Hugo Ekitike, who was hurt in April, has January in his sights.
Read more: Szoboszlai knee scare leaves Liverpool sweating over Hungary duty
The knock-on effect at right-back has been obvious. Jeremie Frimpong has struggled with injuries of his own, which has left Iraola improvising with Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo and Ronald Araujo all taking turns in the role. Araujo has probably been the steadiest of the lot. But he is a centre-back by trade, and asking him to provide width and overlapping runs is never going to be a perfect fit in a system built on precise spacing.
When three midfielders and a central defender have all been drafted into the same position, that is not clever tactics. It is a squad short of natural options.
Pennant’s encouraging update
The most concrete hint that Bradley is close came from former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant. He suggested the defender would be training either during the current international window or straight after it, noting that he has been sidelined since January.
It is a simple enough message, but it matters. Nobody expects Bradley straight back at full tilt. Liverpool first need availability, a run of sessions and the reassurance that right-back no longer has to be solved by guesswork every weekend.
The bigger question about depth
Pennant did not stop at the good news, though. He also argued that Liverpool should be looking for new full-backs on both flanks, and specifically someone on the right who can compete with Bradley or match his level, because the Northern Irishman has not been able to stay fit for long enough.
That is blunt, but we struggle to disagree. Bradley has plenty going for him. He is aggressive, energetic and plays with exactly the kind of intensity Iraola likes from his wide defenders. The issue has never been ability, it has been how often he is actually available. Clubs at this level cannot build a season around a player they are not sure will be on the pitch.
The wider picture adds to the case for recruitment. Frimpong’s future is reportedly up in the air, while Kostas Tsimikas is heading towards the end of his deal. Put those together and it would be a surprise if Liverpool did not look at reinforcing both full-back spots at some point before 2027.
A familiar face as a possible answer
Asked who might fit the bill, Pennant admitted it comes down to the recruitment team doing their homework, but he did float one name, Neco Williams of Nottingham Forest, who he feels looks solid. On the left, he reckoned there are sensible options out there who would not break the bank and would suit the system.
We can see the logic with Williams. He has proven himself in the Premier League, he can play on either flank, he counts as home-grown and he already knows the club inside out from his first spell on Merseyside. None of that means a move is close, but it is the kind of low-fuss target a well-run club would look into.
For the time being, though, the priority is straightforward. Get Bradley back on the grass and keep him there. If he can string together a proper run of fitness, the debate about a new right-back cools down. If he cannot, the need for a signing becomes impossible to ignore.