As he looks to welcome his first Liverpool signing, Arne Slot is reportedly in contact with one particular summer target who enjoyed an excellent season at club level before featuring at Euro 2024.
Liverpool transfer news
With Michael Edwards back making transfer decisions at Liverpool and a new sporting director to work alongside in the form of Richard Hughes on top of a new manager in Slot, it’s hardly a surprise that the Reds are taking their time with incomings this summer. Slot needs time to evaluate his new squad, including those who are still at the Copa America and the Euros, which may well see those at Anfield strike late in the window.
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That hasn’t stopped the rumours from coming, however, be it for Anthony Gordon, Adrien Rabiot or even Joshua Kimmich. And whilst there’s no doubt that all three would make significant impacts on the current Liverpool side, it remains to be seen whether Edwards and Hughes will complete such deals in the coming months.
Instead, they could choose to welcome a player who Slot is already familiarising himself with this summer. According to Bild, Slot is now personally in contact with Jeremie Frimpong over a potential deal. He and Liverpool aren’t alone in their interest though, with Manchester United manager and fellow Dutchman Erik ten Hag also making the same contact.
With a reported release clause of just €40m (£34m), the interest in Frimpong hardly comes as a surprise, given that he’s also coming off the back of a historic unbeaten season in the Bundesliga for champions Bayer Leverkusen. The right-back very nearly completed an entire season unbeaten, of course, only to be defeated by Atalanta in the Europa League final.
As Trent Alexander-Arnold’s best position remains up for debate, Slot could welcome the perfect player to accommodate the academy graduate’s move into midfield once and for all.
“Incredible” Frimpong can unlock Alexander-Arnold
Whilst Alexander-Arnold’s midfield experiment is yet to work at international level, he would far more suit the role that he could play at the heart of Slot’s midfield compared to Gareth Southgate’s.
The England boss was seemingly looking to replace Kalvin Phillips when asking the Liverpool star to step into midfield. As everyone at the Euros saw for themselves, however, the limited, far more rigid role is not one made for the likes of Alexander-Arnold, who would likely have a far less restricted position at Anfield. Before anything though, the Reds must welcome a right-back replacement in the form of Frimpong.
|
League stats 23/24 (via FBref) |
Jeremie Frimpong |
Trent Alexander-Arnold |
|---|---|---|
|
Goals |
9 |
3 |
|
Assists |
7 |
4 |
|
Key Passes |
45 |
64 |
|
Ball Recoveries |
94 |
176 |
Without Alexander-Arnold down the right-hand side, Liverpool’s concern may well be recreating his attacking output, but those worries would be eased almost instantly by the arrival of Frimpong, who even outperformed the England international in that regard last season.
Dubbed “incredible” by former Celtic boss Neil Lennona big decision awaits Frimpong this summer, which could yet end with a move to Anfield and the chance for Alexander-Arnold to finally step into midfield.