Liverpool didn’t do much business in the first summer that Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes were at the helm. But that won’t necessarily be the case this time around.
Ideally, the Reds would be able to bring in three or four players when the season closes. Liverpool will need to replace the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold and should be looking to improve at left-back and up front too.
Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today. Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz updates have emerged with Slot’s men looking to improve their roster after being confirmed as Premier League champions.
Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)
Liverpool is expected to make contact with Bayer Leverkusen shortly to confirm that it will be triggering the release clause written into Jeremie Frimpong’s contract. That is according to The Times.
Frimpong has been identified as one of the players who can inject fresh quality and impetus for the Premier League champion. His exit clause is set at $39 million (£30 million); if someone agrees to pay that sum, then Leverkusen cannot stand in the 24-year-old’s way.
The report lists two reasons that Liverpool is keen on Frimpong. Firstly, his valuation is relatively modest in modern terms. Secondly, he is versatile and can play more than one position. He could play right-back, but also cover for Mohamed Salah on the wing.
Liverpool.com says: Frimpong is a completely different kind of player to Trent Alexander-Arnold and on the other end of the spectrum in terms of how he plays the full-back role. It will be interesting to see how Arne Slot uses him if the deal gets done.
Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
In addition to Frimpong, Liverpool is also looking at Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. Liverpool.com reported earlier this week that while he is someone the Reds admire, the expectation is that he will remain in Germany, either with Bayer Leverkusen or by joining Bayern Munich.
According to the Liverpool ECHO, Liverpool is ready to battle Manchester City and Bayern Munich for the player’s signature. There is a suggestion elsewhere that Real Madrid, which is set to appoint Xabi Alonso as its new head coach, could look to get involved in the race for Wirtz as well, which would further complicate matters.
Liverpool.com says: Wirtz would be an incredible signing for whoever picks him up. At Liverpool, he would add even more quality in the final third, where he is superb at both creating and scoring goals. He has 31 goal contributions in 44 appearances in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen this season so far and could add to that against Mainz at the weekend.
