Liverpool defender Neco Williams may not be content with being Trent Alexander-Arnold's backup in the long-term, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Williams impressing at Fulham

The 20-year-old joined Fulham on loan during the January transfer window, having struggled to earn minutes at Anfield so far this season.

Williams has impressed in his first couple of months in west London, scoring two goals and setting up another two for the Championship leaders and almost finding the net from the halfway line in one match.

The Welshman will return to Liverpool at the end of the season, but it remains to be seen if his long-term future lies on Merseyside.

The Latest: Pearce unsure of William's Liverpool future

Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic on Sunday, Pearce claimed that Williams may look for a permanent move away from Liverpool in order to be a regular starter, if he cannot offer a strong challenge to Alexander-Arnold's position in the Reds' starting XI.

The journalist stated: "Very difficult to find anyone who has Trent’s skillset. Neco Williams doing very well at Fulham on loan. But whether he would be happy being Trent’s deputy next season I’m not sure."

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The Verdict: Understandable if Williams wants out

Williams is a talented young footballer but the fact of the matter is that he has arguably the world's best right-back ahead of him at Liverpool.

For that reason, it is almost impossible to see the Welshman being a fixture in the team at any point over the next few years, unless Alexander-Arnold suffers from serious injury problems.

Williams could be a great deputy for his team-mate over time, maturing into a formidable player, but it would be wholly understandable if he wanted to leave the Reds for good and become a key figure elsewhere.

In other news, three Liverpool players struggled in the win against Nottingham Forest. Read more here.