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Liverpool transfer news as Trent Alexander-Arnold 'replacement identified' amid midfielder interest

andrew gamble
·2-min read
Jeremie Frimpong starred as Bayer Leverkusen stormed to the Bundesliga title last season
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


Liverpool is consistently linked with some of the brightest talents in the world amid the threat of its biggest stars departing Anfield.

While Liverpool is flying high in first place in both the Premier League and Champions League, the club is bracing themselves for potential high-profile exits. The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah are all in the final year of their contracts.

As a result, Liverpool is still looking to beef up the squad and push for silverware. Whether it is to replace potential outgoings or provide elite competition, Arne Slot - along with sporting director Richard Hughes - is pushing to add talent across the board.

Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today:

Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)

Alexander-Arnold has seemingly piqued the interest of Real Madrid, which means Liverpool would need to replace the world-class talent with someone of a similar ilk. While Jeremie Frimpong offers a different skillset, he possesses premier attributes thanks to his speed, offensive IQ, and dribbling.

Frimpong came through the ranks at Manchester City before being signed by Celtic in 2019, and it's been suggested that Pep Guardiola is keen on bringing him back to the Etihad. The figure required to trigger the release clause in Frimpong’s contract is unclear but reports claim a bid of around $44 million would allow Liverpool to open talks with the player.

Liverpool.com says: This would be a very smart signing for Arne Slot’s Liverpool. Larsson provides steel and solidity to the midfield, which Liverpool truly needs given the abundance of attack-minded players in that area.

The price tag is high, but Larsson’s potential is exciting. Besides, he would be a cheaper alternative to the likes of Real Madrid’s Aurelian Tchoumeni, who is consistently linked with the Reds.

Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad)

Liverpool has been continuously linked with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, who fits the bill as the metronomic deep-lying midfielder desired by Slot. The Euro 2024 champion would offer more natural defensive cover than Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, and he operates in the mold of Man City’s Rodri.

Both Man City and Arsenal have been linked with a move for the Spaniard, who left sporting director Hughes fuming after feeling as though Zubimendi had given him his word that he would make the move to Anfield. But Liverpool could re-ignite its interest and resurrect the move to add him to Slot’s burgeoning project.

Liverpool.com says: This is the signing for Arne Slot really wanted over the summer. Zubimendi provides steel and solidity to the midfield but does so in an elegant way with a touch of finesses - which would slot perfectly into Slot’s midfield along with the abundance of attack-minded players in that area. The price tag will be high, but Zubimendi is viewed by many to be the premier talent available in that position.