Liverpool continue to work on contract renewals for three of their most important players, although Anfield chiefs reportedly have a list of transfer targets in mind if one of those doesn’t renew.
Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all into the final seven months of their respective deals, and in just over four weeks’ time, non-English suitors would be free to approach them about a potential pre-contract agreement ahead of next season.
Plan A is obviously to ensure that all three remain with the Premier League leaders beyond next summer, although Richard Hughes appears to have some prospective replacements in mind if needed.
Liverpool exploring potential replacements for Trent
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are increasingly confident that Trent will pen a new contact at Anfield and are ‘determined’ to tie him down to fresh terms.
However, if the vice-captain were to depart at the end of his current deal, the Reds have a shortlist of four right-back targets to potentially bring in – Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Lutsharel Geertruida (RB Leipzig), Vanderson (Monaco) and Amar Dedic (Red Bull Salzburg).
Do Liverpool actually need any of them, even if Trent goes?
The hope is, of course, that Trent commits his long-term future to Liverpool and that there’s no need for Arne Slot to sign a right-back, especially when Conor Bradley is also in situ.
However, if the England international were to leave and the Reds seek to bring in a replacement, Frimpong would appear to be the standout name among the aforementioned quartet, having racked up 14 goals and 12 assists last season in helping Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic double and the Europa League final.
He also has the highest xG figure of the four rumoured right-back targets this term and has completed more take-ons and put in more crosses than the others (FBref), so he’d clearly be the preferred option if an attacking full-back/wing-back is preferred.
Conversely, Geetruida and Vanderson rank substantially higher for defensive metrics such as tackles and interceptions recorded (the Monaco man has a vastly superior tackle success rate of 72%, as per FBref), which could also come into Hughes’ thinking if Liverpool were to enter the market.
By right, there should be no need to sign any of them, as a contract renewal for Trent should be secured and Slot also has the more than capable Bradley to call upon. It’s nonetheless intriguing to see what alternatives the Anfield hierarchy have in mind, in case the vice-captain does move on next year.
