LONDON, ENGLAND - Monday, January 24, 2022: Liverpool's Kaide Gordon (R) celebrates with team-mate Conor Bradley after scoring the second goal in injury time during the Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Crystal Palace FC Under-23's and Liverpool FC Under-23's at the Crystal Palace Academy. Liverpool won 2-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool right-back up for end-of-season award after 8-assist campaign

Liverpool have another right-back up for a Player of the Season award after Conor Bradley was nominated following a campaign that saw him assist eight goals.

When the Premier League announced their end-of-season award nominations it was a double nod for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The No. 66 joined Mohamed Salah in the Player of the Season running as well as making the Young Player of the Season shortlist, while Jurgen Klopp is up for Manager of the Season.

That was followed by an announcement for the under-23s, with Bradley one of eight players nominated for the Premier League 2’s big prize.

He is joined in the running by Norwich pair Tom Dickson-Peters and Abu Kamara, Tottenham‘s Dilan Markanday, Fulham‘s Sonny Hilton, Man City‘s James McAtee, Southampton‘s Kazeem Olaigbe and Crystal Palace‘s Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

Bradley’s nomination comes due to the recognition of rival managers across the U23s league, with the winner to be announced next week.

The 18-year-old would certainly be a deserved winner, having scored three goals and assisted eight in 21 appearances in Premier League 2 this season, forming an impressive tandem with left-back Owen Beck.

He has trained with the Liverpool first team on a regular basis, too, and has played five times this season including starts against Norwich, Leicester and Shrewsbury and a Champions League debut off the bench against AC Milan.

NORWICH, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 21, 2021: Liverpool's Conor Bradley takes a throw-in during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. Liverpool won 3-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

A regular with the Northern Ireland senior national team, there are high hopes for Bradley for both club and country.

Though he could face a challenge for a long-term spot behind Alexander-Arnold with Liverpool interested in Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay, it has been claimed that Klopp anticipates a position change for his No. 84 in the future.

“Jurgen thinks – and I agree – that Conor could play in a midfield role as he gets older,” Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough said in October.

“He has the skill set to be a conventional full-back or a wing-back, but he can also play in midfield. A little bit higher up.

“He’s got a great understanding of football and different areas, so that’s a great string to his bow.”

Bradley signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool last summer, and it is possible he is handed improved terms in the coming months along with a likely place in the pre-season squad.