Liverpool‘s reported interest in Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong may not materialise into a switch to Anfield, Reds transfer expert David Lynch has claimed.
Trent Alexander-Arnold looks certain to leave Merseyside upon the expiry of his contract in the summer amidst interest from Real Madrid, and fans have speculated that the club could look to bring in a direct replacement for the right-back.
Leverkusen’s Frimpong has often been linked to Liverpool, with the wing-back scoring 22 league goals and providing 25 assists in the Bundesliga in 127 appearances for his current side.
However, Lynch tempered expectations in regard to a potential deal, citing concerns about his stylistic fit for Liverpool when he told Sports Mole: “I’m slightly sceptical about Frimpong. He’s a right wing-back who is very much in the winger mould, not a traditional right-back in any sense, and Liverpool do use a back four.
“They will be using a back four next season, so I’m not convinced by the Frimpong links. It’s just a convenient one on the basis that he’s ostensibly a right-back who plays for a big team, he’s available for a decent amount of money and maybe that’s who you’d look to. But I don’t think he’s a good fit for what Liverpool want.”
Frimpong’s defensive ability has been questioned considering his current boss Xabi Alonso has tailored his system to reduce the amount of defending the wing-back has to perform while maximising his attacking output in the final third.
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While some fans might be keen for the Reds to replace Alexander-Arnold by signing a starting right-back in the summer transfer window, Conor Bradley has impressed at times when he has deputised for the Liverpool vice-captain.
The Northern Irishman has started 12 times in the Premier League this term, but he has missed 47 games due to injury since the beginning of 2023-24.
If he can overcome his injuries, Lynch believes that Bradley is talented enough to make the right-back spot his own, telling Sports Mole: “I would like them to turn Conor Bradley into the first choice right-back – I think he is good enough. He can’t pass the ball like Trent, he can’t dominate games from right-back like Trent, but that is also true of every single candidate that we’re hearing [about].
“They will have to sign a right-back, but it should be someone who is a back-up, say Martin Fernandes, who would come in – he’s even younger than Conor Bradley – and those two could compete and Bradley would be the senior option. You do need someone else because Bradley has had that injury history.
“There are things [Bradley] can do that Trent can’t do – he is a superior one-on-one defender, no doubt about that, and [he makes] these powerful runs in central areas, we’ve seen that a few times this season. His role in turning around that Real Madrid game and coming into number nine positions, that was absolutely massive to Liverpool winning that game. The assist he gets against Tottenham in the League Cup.”
Porto teenager Fernandes has been linked with a move to Anfield, but it would be surprising if the 19-year-old was able to come into the XI and immediately claim Alexander-Arnold’s spot.
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What will Liverpool lose when Alexander-Arnold leaves?
Though Bradley’s talent has been apparent whenever the right-back has played, many supporters feel that it is not possible to replicate Alexander-Arnold’s impact on the team.
The defender’s absence was keenly felt when Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final on March 16, with Jarell Quansah struggling to play out from the back against the Magpies’ intense press.
Despite his confidence in Bradley, Lynch acknowledged that Liverpool could find it challenging to be as strong in possession without Alexander-Arnold, telling Sports Mole: “One of the areas where Alexander-Arnold’s exit is going to hurt them is ball progression. I’ve described it in a piece I wrote recently – they’ve got a cheat code at right-back.
“Look at games where they can’t progress the ball through midfield and where teams are aggressive in terms of pressing onto Gravenberch and Mac Allister, who are so important – Gravenberch dribbling out, or Mac Allister using his passing range to get Liverpool up the pitch. Liverpool can struggle in games where that happens because they can’t [progress] the ball.
“You can’t mitigate that by signing a right-back who does what Trent does, because they don’t exist. They have to find those passes from elsewhere, whether that is in the midfield profile that they look to sign [or elsewhere]. I do think they’ll bolster in that area and find another pure passer.”
Martin Zubimendi was wanted by boss Arne Slot, and it is important to note that the midfielder’s primary strength is ball progression, so perhaps Liverpool will look at exploring a deal for him in the next transfer window.
