Liverpool in ‘advanced talks’ with TAA replacement as Chiesa may finally be of use in bid for £50m forward
Liverpool have held ‘advanced talks’ in their bid to sign Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The Reds academy graduate announced his decision to leave the club at the end of his contract this summer on the back of helping Arne Slot’s side to the Premier League title.
Real Madrid are set to land the 26-year-old and are in talks with the Premier League side over an early release which will see Alexander-Arnold join Los Blancos ahead of the Club World Cup this summer.
The Liverpool fans embarrassed themselves by booing Alexander-Arnold as he came off the bench in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday and also chanted ‘there’s only one Conor Bradley’, who’s been widely thought to be in line to step into Alexander-Arnold’s role next season.
But Bradley may well be playing second fiddle again next term after Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenburg revealed the Reds have already engaged in ‘advanced talks’ over a deal for Frimpong.
Plettenburg wrote on X: ‘Understand Liverpool are seriously pursuing Jeremie #Frimpong. Advanced talks have already taken place.
‘Following detailed analysis and due to his availability, he is currently one of the top options for #LFC to potentially replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.
‘Frimpong is planning to move this summer. The 24-y/o right wing-back can leave Leverkusen in the summer thanks to a release clause set at around €35–40m.’
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It looks set to be a busy summer for sporting director Richard Hughes after Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League having made no additions to the squad last summer other than Federico Chiesa, who could now be used as a makeweight after just one season at the club.
The Italian has featured for just 41 minutes in the Premier League this season following his £10m move from Juventus and could reportedly be offered a lifeline by Atalanta.
Quotidiano Sportivo claim Chiesa was linked with Atalanta in January, at which point Liverpool ‘dreamed’ of signing Ademola Lookman from the Serie A side in exchange.
Gian Piero Gasperini didn’t want to lose his star man in the middle of a season in which he’s managed 19 goals and seven assists, but the report states that the Serie A side are now ready to cash in on the former Everton and Fulham forward, with a fee of £50m thought to be enough to steal him away this summer.
And while Chiesa is unlikely to reduce that price by much given his season of nothing at Anfield, he does at least act as a foot in the door for Hughes and Liverpool in negotiations.
