Liverpool verging on GIVING UP on hopeless Slot signing with Barcelona ace eyed as replacement
Liverpool harbour growing concerns one of Arne Slot’s signings will never be good enough, and a report has named a Barcelona star who could arrive as his replacement.
The Reds spent vast sums in the summer of 2025, with Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitke and Alexander Isak all arriving.
More than a year has passed since that lavish outlay, and being frank, only one of that quintet can be called an unqualified success so far – Ekitike.
There’s mitigation involved with some of the others. Wirtz creates chances for fun, and last season specifically, Liverpool’s forwards almost always failed to convert.
Isak suffered a broken leg, while Kerkez is slowly improving after a dire first season. But in the case of Frimpong, there’s very few positives to speak of.
The Dutchman defends like an attacker and attacks like a defender. He’s a wing-back by trade, though that’s not a position Liverpool fielded under Slot or Andoni Iraola.
Ronald Araujo has quickly usurped Frimpong in the right-back berth this season. His selections in the team directly coincided with Liverpool keeping three successive clean sheets in the Premier League prior to the international break.
And according to the latest from Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Liverpool aren’t all that far off throwing the towel in on Frimpong.
Liverpool giving up on Jeremie Frimpong already?
He wrote: ‘Liverpool are planning to sign a new right-back amid ongoing concerns about Jeremie Frimpong.’
The reporter added: ‘Liverpool feel they can upgrade their options at right-back as Frimpong may not be good enough.’
Araujo is only at Anfield on loan, while Conor Bradley’s development has been stunted after sufferng a serious leg injury which he’s still recuperating from.
If Frimpong were to be sold in 2027, a new right-back must be signed, and O’Rourke claimed Barcelona’s Jules Kounde is in FSG’s sights.
The 27-year-old France international was named in three LaLiga teams of the season between 2021-25. However, he’s no longer a guaranteed starter under Hansi Flick, with the German coach placing greater faith in Eric Garcia.
TEAMtalk revealed in late-September that Kounde – who is also wanted at Chelsea – is open to moving to the Premier League.
Coincidentally, another right-back on Liverpool’s radar, Malo Gusto, could be freed up to move to Anfield if Kounde arrives at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool made a late loan approach for Gusto in the window just gone, though Chelsea wanted permanence attached to any exit.
The Blues’ £75m valuation prevented a deal from happening, though more recent reports state Chelsea are now ready to slash their asking price.
