Liverpool could be in the market for a new right-back this summer after it was widely reported that Trent Alexander-Arnold has agreed to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.
The 26-year-old has been with the Reds since he joined the club as a youngster in 2004 but his contract will expire in just three months’ time, when he is expected to make the move to the Bernabeu.
Madrid has been monitoring Alexander-Arnold for some time – even seeing its January offer rejected – and he is set to join other high-profile players such as Antonio Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe who have joined Los Blancos as free agents in recent years.
Alexander-Arnold leaving for nothing will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many Liverpool fans, but the club will rebuild without him, and one player who has frequently been linked with a move to Anfield is Jeremie Frrimpong. Here are three ways that Liverpool could line up with him:
4-3-3 at right-back
This is the formation that Arne Slot has used this season and realistically is the one that Frimpong would be expected to operate in.
The Dutchman has largely featured in a more advanced role for Bayer Leverkusen this season, either as a wing-back or an out-and-out winger, but he has plenty of experience playing at right-back from earlier on in his career.
Slotting in there should not be a problem, but if Frimpong prefers playing in a more offensive role, he might not want to move back to right-back and that could put him off making the move to Merseyside.
3-4-3 at wing-back
This is the system that Frimpong is most familiar with at Leverkusen. He usually occupies the right wing-back position in Xabi Alonso’s team and has established himself as one of the best in the world in his position in recent years.
Playing in a more advanced position unlocks Frimpong’s attacking qualities and he has registered more goals and more assists than Alexander-Arnold this season.
It’s unlikely that Slot will use this formation much, if at all, considering he has only played with four at the back since moving to Liverpool, so Frimpong could again be put off knowing that he is unlikely to get the chance to play in his favored position.
4-3-3 on the wing
There are a few great attacking players that come to mind from recent years who started their careers as defenders before gradually moving further up the pitch.
Gareth Bale, who started out as a left-back before developing into one of the world’s best forwards, immediately comes to mind; could Frimpong currently be on a similar kind of journey?
From right-back, to right wing-back, to right midfield, could the next step be for him to move into a right-wing role — a role which is currently occupied at Liverpool by Mohamed Salah?
If Salah ends up staying, then that idea would be a non-starter, for next season at least, but if the Egyptian leaves along with Alexander-Arnold this summer, Frimpong could provide a versatile option in a variety of right-sided roles.
