Arne Slot Could Land Brilliant Trent Replacement in Liverpool Swoop for £34m “Cheat Code”
Liverpool is set to start their Premier League campaign for the 2024/25 season in about a month with an away match against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
This summer, the club appointed Dutch head coach Arne Slot from Feyenoord, replacing Jurgen Klopp, who had nearly a nine-year tenure at Anfield.
Slot’s main challenge now is to prepare his squad to be competitive at the top of the Premier League next season while also vying for domestic and European trophies.
Although the summer transfer window has been open since last month, Liverpool have not yet made any moves to strengthen their squad.
However, Slot faces the potential loss of a key player, as Trent Alexander-Arnold has been rumored to be leaving Anfield ahead of the 2024/25 season.
According to Sport BILD journalist Christian Falk, Real Madrid are interested in signing the England international, and the defender is reportedly open to the move, with his contract set to expire next summer.
Losing the 25-year-old right-back would be a significant setback for Slot, given Alexander-Arnold’s outstanding performances in the Premier League.
Why losing Trent Alexander-Arnold would Be a Big Setback
In February, Alexander-Arnold set a new Premier League record for assists by a defender with his 58th assist, surpassing his teammate Andy Robertson.
The English talent has amassed 15 goals and 58 assists in 226 Premier League appearances so far in his career. If he continues at Liverpool for many more years, he could significantly extend this record.
Alexander-Arnold has achieved double figures for assists in three different Premier League seasons, showcasing his consistent brilliance in creating opportunities for his teammates.
Despite being a finalist with England at the 2024 European Championship in Germany, Alexander-Arnold was let down by his teammates in the 2023/24 season, as they failed to capitalize on the numerous high-quality chances he provided.
| Trent Alexander-Arnold’s creativity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
| Appearances | 37 | 28 |
| Goals | 2 | 3 |
| Assists | 9 | 4 |
| Big chances created | 25 | 17 |
| Key passes per game | 1.9 | 2.3 |
| Stats Source: Sofascore | ||
As the table above illustrates, the English whiz has been rewarded with 13 assists from an impressive 42 ‘big chances’ created over the past two Premier League seasons.
These statistics highlight that Alexander-Arnold is crucial to Liverpool’s team due to his significant contribution to creativity from the right-back position. His exceptional passing and crossing abilities regularly dismantle opposition defenses.
Therefore, Slot would need to recruit a full-back with exceptional attacking talent to adequately replace the Reds academy graduate if he transfers to Real Madrid this summer or next year.
According to a report by the German newspaper Sport BILD, as relayed by PaisleyGates, Liverpool are showing interest in acquiring Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen.
The report indicates that Liverpool are in discussions with the Bundesliga team to finalize a deal for the former Manchester City player.
Frimpong, who is a Netherlands international and was a backup to Denzel Dumfries during the Euros, has a release clause of £34 million in his contract with Leverkusen.
Liverpool are reportedly negotiating the payment terms of this release clause, possibly aiming to structure the payments differently rather than paying the full amount upfront.
The report also mentions that the former Celtic player is keen on joining Liverpool to play in the Premier League under his compatriot Slot. However, he is only interested in moving to top European clubs if he leaves Leverkusen.
Liverpool need to secure this transfer before the summer window closes, as Frimpong would be an excellent replacement for Alexander-Arnold, should the latter leave Anfield.
Why Jeremie Frimpong Could Brilliantly Replace Trent Alexander-Arnold
To replace the current star player for the Reds, any new arrival must demonstrate exceptional quality in the attacking end.
Frimpong’s performances for Leverkusen last season indicate that he possesses this capability, contributing both as a goal scorer and a creator for the German team.
In the past year, he ranks in the top 6% of full-backs in the Men’s Big 5 Leagues and European competitions for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 minutes (0.24), and in the top 1% for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes (0.37).
This data shows that the Dutch player, who also ranks in the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.39), has exceptional on-the-ball quality, allowing him to make significant contributions in the attacking third compared to other full-backs in Europe.
Frimpong’s underlying metrics are impressive, and his statistics in both the Bundesliga and the Europa League last season further highlight his attacking prowess.
| Jeremie Frimpong | 23/24 Bundesliga | 23/24 Europa League |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 31 | 10 |
| Goals | 9 | 3 |
| Assists | 7 | 0 |
| Big chances created | 9 | 2 |
| Key passes per game | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Stats Source: Sofascore | ||
The table above illustrates that the 23-year-old talent, praised as a “cheat code” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, achieved double-digit figures for both goals scored and ‘big chances’ created in the two competitions.
This demonstrates the young wing-back’s consistent ability to influence the game offensively from an advanced position on the right side, similar to what Alexander-Arnold has done for many years.
Frimpong hasn’t played as a traditional right-back for Leverkusen, but Slot could adjust his system to fit him in or train the Dutchman to adopt a slightly more defensive role while maintaining his attacking prowess, making him an excellent replacement for Alexander-Arnold.
In other Liverpool news, Liverpool Now in Negotiations to Cash in on Youngster Dubbed “Very Special” by Jurgen Klopp
