Liverpool defeat to Brighton shows £33m man is a mad first summer signing for Arne Slot
In late November, by which point Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid had become something more than rumour, Liverpool worries were eased by one moment from their alternative right-back academy graduate in his first ever Champions League appearance against the reigning champions and champion of all champions.
Amid spine tingles and ‘oofs’ all round, the widespread opinion after Conor Bradley’s glorious man-and-ball challenge on Kylian Mbappe and an outstanding performance besides which saw the best footballer in the world fail to break free from the 21-year-old’s pocket was that Liverpool would be just fine without Alexander-Arnold, thank you very much.
Jamie Carragher has said Bradley’s “definitely done enough in a Liverpool shirt” to have been given the chance to prove himself as the long-term replacement. It’s a tall order given what Alexander-Arnold’s won and contributed in that time, while in many ways changing the fabric of what it means to be a Premier League full-back. But it would be for anyone.
The fan anger for Alexander-Arnold running down his contract and leaving for nothing could have been assuaged by his replacement also not costing them a dime in transfer fees. But sporting director Richard Hughes has decided to instead spend €40m (£33m) on Jeremie Frimpong, who’s set for a medical at Liverpool ahead of a summer move.
By all accounts he’s a very good right-back, earning rave reviews for his displays in Bayer Leverkusen’s incredible 2023/2024 season and again this term. But even in Fabrizio Romano’s latest update on the move, it was claimed Hughes and Arne Slot believe he “can improve on his defensive work” – an entirely predictable doubt given he’s actually been a very good right wing-back.
Liverpool have dealt with that vulnerability on their right flank for the last eight seasons and that may not have changed all that significantly with Bradley taking his spot either. His defending has also been found wanting at times this season and again wasn’t great here, as Yasin Ayari caught him on his heels to get on the end of Brajan Gruda’s through ball to restore parity at the Amex.
But it was Bradley’s brilliance at the other end of the pitch that had given the champions the lead. A lovely move in general featured a pinpoint switch from Dominik Szoboszlai and a one-touch pass from Mohamed Salah, but the right-back’s part was stunning, as he nutmegged Simon Adingra and sold Adam Webster a dummy before picking out Harvey Elliott for a tap in.
There won’t be many, if any, people watching that moment of magic, far from abnormal for Bradley, and his troubling evening at the other end of the pitch, particularly after Kaoru Mitoma came on, thinking what Liverpool need as effectively their first signing under Slot is a wonderfully attacking right full-back with defensive frailties.
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We’re not saying Liverpool don’t need another player for that position, but would side with Carragher, who voted for a full-back-cum-centre-back, in the mould of Joe Gomez or Jurrien Timber, who are defenders first, and could be used to cover multiple positions.
Frimpong being the first summer signing could be dismissed as incidental. Hughes has presumably struck early to avoid missing out on a player who won’t be short of suitors. But you’ve got to wonder whether they may regret spending £33m on what appears to be the very same player as they’ve already got when they’re negotiating deals further into the transfer window for players they definitely need. A striker, for example.
Slot’s actual first signing, Federico Chiesa, secured his first Premier League start and winners medal with his fifth appearance at the Amex, starting down the middle as if the Dutch manager wanted to hammer home the need for a new No.9 this summer.
He enjoyed what are likely to be his last 12 touches (yes, 12) for Liverpool in 63 minutes before being hooked for Darwin Nunez, who’s also set to leave the club at the end of the season.
It’s not at all clear which striker Liverpool have in mind to sign this summer. It looks like Arsenal are landing Viktor Gyokeres, while Liam Delap is choosing between Chelsea and Manchester United. Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is supposedly on the Reds’ radar, while Brighton’s Joao Pedro was intriguingly left out of the squad here for ‘personal reasons’ amid interest from Liverpool and Chelsea.
But we all know the dream is Alexander Isak. And it would be absurd if he does become available, perhaps after Newcastle fail to qualify for the Champions League, and Liverpool fall short of the Magpies’ valuation by the £30m-odd they’ve already decided to spend on a player whose impact – no matter how good a signing Frimpong turns out to be – would pale in significance to that of arguably the best striker on the planet right now.
