Former Southampton defender Jason Dodd has compared January signing Kyle Walker-Peters to Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, who last season he achieved the record for the most Premier League assists by a defender in a single season.
Commenting on the signing, Dodd claimed that he is similar to Alexander-Arnold in the sense that he is good going forward and has pace, whilst also having the ability to defend.
Walker-Peters signed for Southampton on loan from Tottenham until the end of the season, following Cedric’s move to Arsenal.
Speaking to Love Sport Radio, via Football London, Dodd said:
He’s a modern day full-back like Trent Alexander-Arnold. He’s great going forward, he’s quick, defensively that I like, in one vs ones there’s probably not too many people getting by him.
You’re looking at a swap as in Cedric [Soares] getting out, we’ve got a young, hungry lad who wants to come down and play in the Premier League. He knows that his game time would have been limited where he was and I like it that he wants to play, that’s what’s pleasing for me – he wants to come down here and he wants to play.
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Whilst the gulf in class between the two players is evident, given Alexander-Arnold is a starter for Liverpool and Walker-Peters could not get a game for Spurs, the styles are similar.
Both like to bomb down the right from fullback and deliver crosses into the box. Walker-Peters also has the pace to go back the other way and fulfill his defensive responsibilities, rather than being stuck in the final third due to a lack of speed.
Walker-Peters showed, in bursts, at Spurs that he is capable of being a threat at the top end of the pitch from fullback.
In 12 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, Walker-Peters managed an impressive five assists.
This suggests that he could offer Southampton an attacking outlet down the right and provide more service to the likes of Danny Ings and Shane Long in the box.
If he can do that and start chipping in with assists, he could prove to be a very shrewd signing by the club.
