Let's just admit it: Liverpool miss Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Perhaps the pain and the anguish and the boos when the playmaking right-back left for Real Madrid somewhat contentiously at the end of his contract boils down to the fact that he has been cherished by the Merseyside persuasion over the years, one of their own.
Trent, 27, has had an up-and-down year for Real Madrid, who won't lift La Liga or the Champions League trophies this season, but he remains one of the great creators of his generation, instrumental across years of sweeping success with Jurgen Klopp. Last year, during his one year working with Arne Slot, he won his second Premier League title.
All-time Most PL Assists by a Defender
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Florian Wirtz hasn't clicked into gear yet as Liverpool's new creative superstar, but Jeremie Frimpong has arguably left more to be desired down the right flank, unable to provide the right formula for Slot's struggling side.
With Conor Bradley's non-stop injury problems continuing this year, it looks like FSG may dig back into their pockets for another right-back.
Liverpool preparing bid for elite right-back
Liverpool have left a lot to be desired this season, but a well-worked summer transfer strategy could change the narrative and allow Slot to build back toward title-challenging form.
Any number of positions need sorting out, but at right-back, we might have something of a priority, with Bradley too injury-prone and Frimpong ineffective so far. During the defeat at Old Trafford, he lost eight of then duels and failed to complete either of his two attempted dribbles.
Liverpool need to freshen-up their right side, and according to reports in Spain, FSG are preparing a bid for Barcelona right-back Jules Kounde.
Barcelona's Jules Kounde
The versatile defender is one of the best in the business, and his price tag reflects that, with La Blaugrana determined to bank around €80m (equating to £69m) for his sale this summer.
Why Kounde would be a big Frimpong upgrade
Described as "one of the best defenders in the world" by his former Barcelona boss Xavi, Kounde is an intense and energetic right-back who is on track to lift his third La Liga title this season.
The 27-year-old has played 186 times for Barcelona since joining the Catalan side from Sevilla in July 2022. Chelsea came close to securing his services then, but now he could finally arrive in the Premier League with a different crest on his chest.
He might not be cut from the same creative cloth as someone like Alexander-Arnold, but who is? Instead, Kounde is a balanced and dynamic defender - and it's not as if he isn't capable of producing a defence-splitting pass from the right flank.
Though he has played many matches as a centre-back in the past, Kounde would trump Frimpong to the right-back berth at Liverpool with few difficulties. It would be fair to argue that Slot's side have been tactically imbalanced this term, and the lack of a balanced outlet on the right has been one of the biggest problems, especially with Mohamed Salah so heavily underperforming.
FC Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates scoring their fifth goal with Jules Kounde
In all honesty, Kounde is probably a more complete defender than Trent, let alone Frimpong, who is one of the fastest players in the Premier League, yet has thus far lacked the fundamentals in a Liverpool shirt.
With 46 Les Bleus caps to his name, the Frenchman is the real deal, and exactly what Slot's system needs to stabilise and then fire on all cylinders once again.
Frimpong was placed on the wing during Liverpool's recent defeat to their long-time rivals, but he's yet to show across a number of roles that he is the solution for this team, someone who can nail down a starting berth for a Liverpool side challenging for the biggest titles.
Jeremie Frimpong's Career by Position
Position
Right-back
Right wing-back
Left-back
Right winger
Attacking midfield
When he was signed from Bayer Leverkusen last year for £29.5m, Frimpong was lauded as a shrewd buy, someone to challenge Bradley for a starting berth.
Now, sadly, it looks like Liverpool need to move for an upgrade, and if they do decide to go down that track, Kounde would be the perfect option.
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