Talks commence for £21m right-back to replace injury-prone Bradley and Frimpong | OneFootball

Liverpool have got a problem to solve at right-back.

Plans to move on from Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer have not quite worked out. Trent joined Real Madrid in a £10m deal with the Premier League champions immediately moving to secure Conor Bradley on a new long-term contract.

A £29m deal was also put in place for Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong - who is in truth more at home further up the pitch.

Bradley however has been absent since January with a serious knee injury and his career has suffered several injury setbacks in the last couple of years.

Meanwhile Frimpong is out injured once again having suffered a muscle injury on international duty with the Netherlands in a game versus Ecuador.

Owing to an availability crisis Arne Slot has been forced to use Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez among others at right-back this season.

And if doubts are going to linger long-term over the fitness of both Bradley and Frimpong then sporting director Richard Hughes needs to consider a deal for a new right-back.

Liverpool in talks for Dumfries deal

In Italy there is an ideal candidate with it expected that Denzel Dumfries will leave Inter Milan this summer. The Dutch international is under contract until 2028 but that deal also contains a £21m release clause.

Inter are keen to tie the 29-year-old down for the long term and remove the clause - but in the meantime Dumfries has been offered to several clubs including Liverpool.

That’s according to a report in TEAMtalk which claims intermediaries have reached out to Liverpool - among others - to gauge their interest.

“Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries has been offered to a host of Premier League clubs this summer, including Liverpool,” the report reads. “Discussions are underway over a potential move away from the Italian giants.”

Right-back not a priority for LFC?

Right now there are other transfer priorities for Hughes and Slot to consider - not least centre-back and on the wings.

It’s claimed in the report that the Anfield club are ready to pass on the chance to sign Dumfries - believing that the options they’ve got are good enough.

“While the Reds have not completely ruled out the move, right-back is not currently a priority position,” the report reads.

“There is a growing belief internally that Conor Bradley, alongside Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, provides sufficient depth and quality in that area.”

However it remains uncertain that Bradley and Frimpong can shake off their persistent injury struggles in the long term. It might be prudent to sign a right-back such as Dumfries in order to provide cover.