Trent Alexander-Arnold most transferred-out player ahead of GW21 but Liverpool star set for early return from injury

THOUSANDS of Dream Team managers are on the brink of a clanging error.

At the time of writing, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) is the most transferred-out player ahead of Gameweek 21.

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This is a delayed reaction to the Liverpool star’s injury, which resulted in him being the most-ditched asset prior to the Gameweek 20.

However, Pep Lijnders, assistant manager to Jurgen Klopp, has revealed that the 25-year-old is in contention to play against Norwich in the FA Cup fourth round this coming Sunday.

As published on the club’s official website, the Dutchman said: “Trent is progressing well through his rehab, working hard. He will back in the end of the week for team training, so hopefully he will be available for the FA Cup.”

The visit of the Canaries to Anfield is the first of two fixtures in Gameweek 21 for the Reds.

Chelsea are also due in Merseyside on Wednesday night as arguably the standout match-up of the midweek Premier League action.

Safely assuming Lijnders is well informed on the matter, it seems likely that Alexander-Arnold will return in some capacity this coming Gameweek.

Surely plenty of gaffers will need to reverse their most recent transfers and think again.

Having to stick by Liverpool’s No66 throughout Gameweek 20 while he was sidelined only to then transfer him out just before his comeback would a bitter pill to swallow.

And this is Dream Team’s outright top defender we’re discussing.

Alexander-Arnold has 169 points to his name, seven more than his closest rival, Kieran Trippier (£5m).

He plundered 48 points across four Gameweeks prior to his injury and was fast becoming a must-have asset, if he wasn’t already.

The England international has been playing a hybrid role for the better part of the last year, part full-back, part deep-lying playmaker.

This freedom, combined with his natural creative talents, have resulted in 11 assists this season (all comps) – the highest tally among defenders by a comfortable margin.

He’s also created 14 big chances, again the most among players in his position.

And of course Alexander-Arnold benefits from any clean sheets kept by Jurgen Klopp’s table-toppers, so long as he contributes 60+ minutes.

He’s registered nine clean sheets this campaign so far, only four defenders boast a greater tally: William Saliba (£3.4m), Gabriel (£3.9m), Ben White (£3.5m) and James Tarkowski (£3m).

It’s likely there will soon be a scramble among Dream Team’s top gaffers to get Alexander-Arnold back into the mix as soon as possible.

Those who suffered through Gameweek 20 with him in their XI have the chance to gain some compensation by retaining him now, saving a transfer that those who replaced him may have to use now he’s seemingly available again.

Needless to say, that compensation goes up in smoke if he’s replaced ahead of Friday’s deadline only to then swagger about Anfield against Norwich on Sunday.

Dream Team bosses may be offered a further update on his condition closer to the Gameweek 21 deadline – we’ll endeavour to include it in Friday’s Injures & Suspensions article if that’s the case.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk