Liverpool means business in the summer transfer window. A deal for Jeremie Frimpong appears as good as done, Milos Kerkez could be in the works as well, and there even appears to be genuine interest in a record-shattering deal for Florian Wirtz — but amid all of that excitement, there are some Premier League free agents that may also be worthy of consideration.
Not quite as glamorous, intra-division free agency moves are nonetheless often very astute. Liverpool certainly got some incredible value from James Milner (currently among the 66 players once again set to be free agents this summer, incidentally), while bringing Kolo Toure to Anfield was a pretty shrewd deal at the time as well.
In more recent times, Adrian earned himself cult status for his Super Cup heroics alone, even if Caoimhin Kelleher quickly overtook him as Alisson’s understudy. And of course, looking beyond just the Premier League market, Joel Matip became a bona fide legend after signing for nothing from Schalke.
As things stand, 66 Premier League players are set to be out of contract in the coming weeks. That obviously includes Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool; goalkeeper Harvey Davies has also been named by some outlets, although it’s understood that he actually remains under contract at Anfield.
But who, if anyone, might Liverpool be tempted to add to the ranks? I’ve considered three potentially viable options, plus some honorable mentions.
Kevin De Bruyne
The one Premier League free agent with whom Liverpool has actually been linked, Kevin De Bruyne would be an interesting proposition. While it’s believed the Reds are not currently pursuing a deal, there would be plenty of upside.
Crucially, De Bruyne would effectively replace the creativity being lost from Alexander-Arnold in one fell swoop. They have been two of the league’s standout playmakers for years, albeit in different guises, and an audacious free agency raid for the Man City star would protect Liverpool against the worst of the post-Trent teething pains.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the most long-term move, and there are very real concerns about what De Bruyne is now able to offer off the ball. His fitness has also been an issue.
But hypothetically, at least, he would surely be interested in remaining where his family is settled, even if it means taking a hefty pay cut. And at a certain price point, it is a gamble that begins to make some sense for Liverpool, especially as De Bruyne has a point to prove to Man City.
Pablo Sarabia
Sticking with the creative midfielders who might provide an immediate Alexander-Arnold band-aid, there is a surprising amount to like about Pablo Sarabia. He’s certainly a left-field pick, having only featured on the fringes for Wolves this season, but the former PSG playmaker remains a real talent.
Around a year younger than De Bruyne, he remains remarkably active against the ball. His 1.8 tackles per 90 place him in the top 16 per cent of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues.
Meanwhile, his 6.86 progressive passes per game place him in the 95th percentile. His xG of 0.35 per 90 is also impressively high.
(Image: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Wolves via Getty Images)
In terms of similar players, statistical analysis portal FBref picks out younger names including Xavi Simons, who has been linked to Liverpool. A certain Dominik Szoboszlai also features, as does Jude Bellingham.
Sarabia would clearly be an understudy to Szoboszlai, and it goes without saying that landing Wirtz would be an infinitely more exciting proposition. But if Liverpool chooses to spend the big money elsewhere (a number nine, for example), then there would be worse depth signings to make from a creative standpoint.
As a counterpoint, Arne Slot would be just as well-served by simply giving Harvey Elliott some more game time. But he has been linked with a transfer away, and in that scenario, Liverpool would be left looking for more depth.
Sergio Reguilon
Okay, so this one is a real “hear me out”. Sergio Reguilon has been effectively frozen out at Tottenham despite Ange Postecoglou’s disastrous season, which is hardly a ringing endorsement.
But Liverpool is on the lookout for a new left-back, and while Reguilon would not get anybody excited, he would provide something in the way of competition to Andy Robertson. It all depends on whether Slot is ultimately trying to replace the Scot or just find better backup.
Bournemouth’s asking price for Kerkez could yet prove to be a sticking point, and Liverpool could opt to pivot toward a far more cost-conscious strategy. It did something similar when signing Kostas Tsimikas in the first place, plucking him out of relative obscurity for a small fee after Norwich played hardball with Jamal Lewis.
Funnily enough, Lewis is also going to be a free agent in the summer, leaving Newcastle. But after a failed loan at Sao Paulo of all places, that would be a punt too far.
Many would say the same about Reguilon. But his numbers from last season (the last time he got regular minutes) really aren’t too bad.
Reguilon ranked in the 90th percentile of the Premier League for assists, and the 87th percentile for shot-creating actions. He was also in the 96th percentile for tackles, and the 93rd percentile for blocks.
He progressed the ball more than average through both passes and carries, and completed more succesful take-ons per game than three-quarters of his peers. FBref identified Conor Bradley among his similar players.
It’s scraping the barrel a little, and Liverpool could probably do with a more legitimate Robertson successor. But as one of the younger options on the list of 66, Reguilon would at least enable Slot to kick that particular can down the road for a year or two.
Honorable mentions
Scott Carson or Tom Heaton – Liverpool may yet find itself looking for a new third-choice goalkeeper this summer. While Kelleher’s likely departure will be covered by Giorgi Mamardashvili, all options remain open when it comes to Vitezslav Jaros.
Should Jaros leave either on loan or permanently, Liverpool could choose to promote from within. If Davies is indeed set to stay, he would be one option.
But the Reds have turned to veterans in the past, most notably Adrian and Andy Lonergan, both signed on free transfers. Scott Carson or Tom Heaton would do much the same job without taking up a non-homegrown spot, although they may yet agree deals to continue to fulfil that exact function at their respective Manchester clubs.
Chris Mepham or Mason Holgate – Liverpool has retained Virgil van Dijk for another two years. If it makes progress in talks with Ibrahima Konate and keeps hold of Jarell Quansah too, then all Slot really needs is a fourth-choice for emergencies and occasional cup outings.
At the moment, Joe Gomez can play that role, but his fitness issues are well-known. And he may have suitors in the summer.
In the specific scenario where he leaves but the others stay, a cheap “safety” solution might make a degree of sense. Chris Mepham and Mason Holgate are the picks of the bunch.
An awful lot of water would need to go under the bridge before Liverpool embraced Holgate, but he’s a decent enough player. Likewise, Mepham has done no harm to his reputation with a loan to Sunderland in the Championship.
In truth, they’d both be better off going somewhere they could play regularly. But from Liverpool’s perspective, they would be homegrown options who could do a job in a pinch.
Christian Eriksen – The fact that Eriksen is still playing at all is something of a miracle. And in many aspects, he is still playing at a high level.
His creative numbers remain strong — remarkably, he is in the 99th percentile for expected assists per 90 across Europe’s top five leagues in the last year. As with De Bruyne and Sarabia, there is a degree of sense in Liverpool targeting a player like that, given the loss of Alexander-Arnold.
But even compared to those two, Eriksen’s off-the-ball work is essentially non-existent. And while that may be entirely understandable, he does not have the sheer levels of talent to justify Slot allowing him to be a passenger.
That’s a privilege only afforded to Mohamed Salah, and even he still gets through a reasonable amount of defensive work compared to superstars in other teams. Even so, despite Manchester United’s struggles this season, somebody will be getting a very good player in Eriksen.
