Liverpool plan to keep former Preston target Conor Bradley

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has revealed he plans to keep a defender around the first team next season once his loan spell finishes.

Conor Bradley has enjoyed a fine season at Bolton Wanderers in League One. He was linked with Preston North End at the back end of last year and it was thought there was a chance he would move up to the Championship halfway through the season.

The 19-year-old stayed with Bolton though and has played 40 games, scoring five goals and grabbing 4 assists. Wanderers have a chance of extended their season as well, as they are in 5th place with just two games remaining.

He’s also scored two goals and got two assists in cup competitions as he helped The Trotters lift the Papa Johns Trophy earlier in the month.

North End seem to have had a right-wing back on the top of their shopping list ever since the arrival of Ryan Lowe. Despite being linked with an abundance of options, there has yet to be one through the door.

It has left Brad Potts to fill in that role and to be fair to him he’s had a very good season. He’s scored some crucial goals, notably the opener against Blackpool and a last minute winner against Reading recently.

Alan Browne has also filled in at times but his performances have been a bit more hit and miss.

You’d expect Lowe to still be keen to bring someone else in for that position in the summer and he may need one or two for the left flank as well. Both Alvaro Fernandez and Robbie Brady are currently set to leave at the end of the season.

But it looks as if it won’t be Conor Bradley they turn to, as Jurgen Klopp has suggested he wants to keep him around the first team squad.

The plan at the moment is to bring him back and keep him, but we will see,” Klopp said.

“Bring him back, go in the pre-season and then enjoy the steps he made, then we will decide together what we are doing from that moment on.”

Of course Bradley would have Trent Alexander-Arnold to contend with for a starting spot but there is always the chance he could be rotated or moved into midfield.

Liverpool may also choose to sign further competition so the door could reopen for Bradley to go back out on loan and he would have a lot of clubs interested in his signature.