Liverpool have reportedly made enquiries over an alternative Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement despite reports that their top target, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, is keen on a move to Anfield this summer.
Alexander-Arnold announced last week that he will be walking away from Liverpool on a free transfer this summer, with a proposed move Real Madrid expected to be eventually announced – despite reports of interest from the likes of LaLiga rivals Barcelona.
Frimpong has long been viewed as Arne Slot’s preferred replacement for the England international, with a recent David Ornstein claiming that the Netherlands star is pushing for a switch to Merseyside this summer.
The 24-year-old is expected to be on the move after Xabi Alonso announced he is leaving Leverkusen at the end of the season and is expected to be Alexander-Arnold’s new boss at The Bernabeu.
However, Goal Brazil reports that Liverpool are ready to turn to Monaco right-back Vanderson instead of Frimpong in their bid to fill the massive void left by Alexander-Arnold’s exit.
The reports states that the Reds have made contact with the Ligue 1 outfit in recent days over adding the explosive 23-year-old talent to their ranks after seeing interest in the player skyrocket this season.
Monaco are asking for a fee of around €30million (£25m) to let the Brazilian leave this summer, making him a slightly cheaper option than Frimpong, who has a release clause of around €35m (£30m).
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If the Reds do decide to move for the Monaco man over Frimpong it would signal a slight direction change in terms of the style of player replacing Alexander-Arnold.
Frimpong is a real attacking force, given his role as a more forward-thinking wing-back at Leverkusen, and has scored four goals and added 12 assists this season.
Vanderson, meanwhile, is a more defensive option who is known for his strong tackling, positional play and ball interceptions. While his stats are not comparable with Frimpong’s – he has two goals and five assists this term – the Brazilian has been described as a ‘phenomenal’ talent who also possesses dynamic attacking traits in his game.
The report adds that after three seasons at Monaco, Vanderson is now considering a fresh challenge and is interested in a move to the newly-crowned Premier League champions.
Another key factor in his decision or whether to remain in France or head to the Premier League could be whether Monaco qualify for next season’s Champions League.
They currently need two wins from their last two games to confirm a place in next season’s competition without having to go through the qualifiers.
Failure to do so could well see Vanderson compete with Conor Bradley for the right-back slot at Anfield next term, with Slot confirming that the Irishman will be given his chance to shine in the remaining games of the season now that Aleexander-Arnold is on his way.
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