Richard Hughes has readied £33.3m Liverpool answer to Trent Alexander-Arnold contract question | OneFootball

The day is Friday November 29, which means there are only 33 days left until Trent Alexander-Arnold can begin negotiating a pre-contract agreement with an overseas outfit.

Fellow talismanic stars Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah remain very much in the same boat as Liverpool scramble behind the scenes.

The pressure is most certainly on, as was recently evidenced by an alleged high-profile meeting between directors from Merseyside and Real Madrid to discuss the extent of interest in the No.66.

The veracity of such a claim remains to be seen. Nonetheless, it won’t have escaped anyone’s notice that the Reds have left themselves with a great deal to do in a very short amount of time.

With that in mind, one can understand why sporting director Richard Hughes and his recruitment team have already begun the process of future-proofing at Anfield.

Liverpool are looking at Jeremie Frimpong

Jeremie Frimpong could replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool – (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Christian Falk now reports that Liverpool have added Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong to their shortlist of replacements in the event that Alexander-Arnold departs in the summer.

“Liverpool are looking at Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong – and it’s because of Trent Alexander-Arnold,” the head of football at the BILD Group told CaughtOffside in his exclusive Fact Files column.

“I read in MARCA that there should have been a meeting on Wednesday about his future; I can’t say if this is true. What I do know is that Liverpool have a shortlist of successors for Alexander-Arnold, as his current contract is set to expire in the summer.

“If he agrees a move to Real Madrid, they’re going to need a new top right-back. One of the fullbacks on the list is Frimpong. He’s playing very well at Leverkusen and was on the list at Manchester United back when Erik ten Hag was manager. Now United have Noussair Mazraoui, so this connection to United isn’t so close.

“Liverpool see that he’d be a really good option and it’s worth noting that Frimpong has a release clause in his contract worth about €40m [£33.3m/$42.1m], so they can just go ahead and buy him if they wish.”

The England international has been out of action since before the November international break after picking up a hamstring injury in a Premier League encounter with Aston Villa.

The right-back has racked up two assists in 15 appearances (across all competitions) in the 2024/25 season.

Will Trent Alexander-Arnold sign a contract extension?

That remains the million-dollar question.

Potential future teammate Jude Bellingham remained tight-lipped over the prospect of Trent Alexander-Arnold joining him in Madrid next term.

Likewise, Carlo Ancelotti, ever the epitome of class, refused to speculate on the future of a player not currently in his squad.

Things can quickly change in football, but the current mood suggests the Scouse academy graduate is the most likely of the trio of expiring stars to seek pastures new in the summer.

His clearly stated ambition of winning the Ballon d’Or as a fullback would most certainly at least indicate a potential direction of travel that steers him toward Spain’s capital.