Liverpool are determined to tie Trent Alexander-Arnold down to a new contract but have a contingency plan in place in case he leaves on a free transfer, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.
The 26-year-old’s deal at Anfield is set to expire next summer which means as things stand, he’ll be able to open pre-contract talks with foreign clubs from January 1st.
Liverpool are scrambling to agree an extension with Alexander-Arnold before January and are willing to make him the club’s highest-paid player in order to stave off concrete interest from Real Madrid. The feeling behind the scenes is that Alexander-Arnold will pen fresh terms soon.
However, sources have revealed to TEAMtalk that Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes has identified four replacements for Alexander-Arnold in preparation for his potential departure.
Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong is the first name on the Reds’ shortlist. Both Hughes and Arne Slot are big admirers of the Dutchman and believe he would fit into Liverpool’s system well.
Considered one of the best attacking full-backs in the world, Frimpong has scored 27 goals and made 39 assists in 161 appearances for Leverkusen. He is a graduate of Manchester City’s academy, before he was sold to Celtic for just £300,000 in 2019. He then joined Leverkusen in 2021, where he has flourished.
We understand that Man City have shown interest in re-signing Frimpong as they eye a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker, but Pep Guardiola intends to give Rico Lewis the chance to stake his claim in the right-back position.
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Liverpool plan for Alexander-Arnold exit revealed
Frimpong would be Liverpool’s no.1 target if Alexander-Arnold leaves but the Merseyside giants are also keeping close tabs on three other talented right-backs.
TEAMtalk sources state that Liverpool are also interested in RB Salzburg youngster Amar Dedic. We exclusively revealed in October that Manchester United were interested in the 22-year-old, but now Liverpool are in the race.
We understand that Dedic is keen to leave Austrian side Salzburg as he feels he is good enough to play for an elite European club. Liverpool have asked ‘for updated information on his situation’, per sources, while Napoli have also shown interest in him.
Liverpool are also keeping close tabs on RB Leipzig star Lutsharel Geertruida, who thrived under Reds boss Slot at former club Feyenoord, before making the jump to the Bundesliga this past summer.
Slot is a big admirer of his former player and believes the fact he can play as a centre-back and right-back would be beneficial for Liverpool. Arsenal are also interested in Geertruida, but it will be expensive to lure him from Leipzig in 2025.
Finally, Liverpool have also shortlisted Monaco right-back Vanderson as a potential target. The 23-year-old is rated highly and has serious interest from the Serie A, with Napoli and Juventus particularly keen on signing him.
Liverpool round-up: Salah contract issue / Bundesliga forward eyed
Meanwhile, Liverpool are also in negotiations over a contract extension for top talisman Mo Salah, but things are not going smoothly.
Recent reports suggest that Salah will happily sign a one-year contract extension to keep him at the club until June 2026, by which time he will be 34 years of age.
Talks between the club and his agent Ramy Abbas are continuing in the background, but Salah has been left frustrated at how slowly the situation is taking to get resolved, while it’s claimed the star remains convinced that FSG will satisfy his contractual expectations.
And while Salah’s demands are not disclosed, the player is still waiting for Liverpool to put before him both their salary offer and the length of deal they are willing to give him.
In other news, Liverpool reportedly hold ‘concrete interest’ in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush, who’s netted an impressive 13 goals in the Bundesliga this season.
Marmoush is open to joining Liverpool and it is ‘likely’ he leaves Frankfurt at the end of the season, so he is a player for Reds fans to keep an eye out for.
IN FOCUS: Alexander-Arnold vs Frimpong, stats this season
Trent Alexander-Arnold v Jeremie Frimpong: League apps 12 v 12, goals + assists 0+1 v 2+2, chances created 22 v 12, crosses completed in open play 6 v 7, take-ons completed 5 v 12, duels won 48 v 36, tackles 35 v 10, clearances 11 v 4
How Alexander-Arnold and Frimpong compare in their respective leagues this season