Arne Slot would not be drawn on Liverpool’s interest in Jeremie Frimpong, while insisting he already has a “really good” right-back at the club in Conor Bradley.
Frimpong is expected to become the Reds’ first signing of the summer, with the club prepared to trigger a £30 million release clause in his contract.
But while the Bayer Leverkusen wing-back is understood to be in advanced talks over move to Anfield, the head coach would not be drawn on Liverpool’s plans.
“I think again it’s going to be a boring answer,” Slot said when asked about Frimpong.
“For the whole season it was about contract extensions for three players and now we’re arriving at a time when everyone wants to know which players we’re going to bring in.
“The answer is going to be the same: we don’t talk about the players we want to bring in, in public, until the moment they’ve signed for us.
“Then, you can ask me everything about them.”
Liverpool’s pursuit of Frimpong comes despite Slot repeatedly hinting that he plans to start next season with Bradley as his first-choice right-back in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
That may still be the case, with the Netherlands international renowned for being more of an attacker than a defender while Bradley is a developing all-rounder.
“What I can tell you is we already have Conor Bradley who can play really good in that position,” Slot continued.
“Joe Gomez has played in that position multiple times [too]. So it’s not like when Trent is leaving I have no clue what to do anymore.
“But as a club we are always looking at interesting players than can strengthen our squad – but that’s the general answer, not talking about an individual.”
Liverpool still have two games to play this season and Slot was speaking at a press conference ahead of their trip to Brighton on Monday night.
Being the first game since Alexander-Arnold was heavily booed at Anfield in response to his decision to leave the club, it will prompt a tough decision over whether or not to involve the No. 66.
But with both Slot and his players having spent the week so far away from Merseyside – the head coach in Ibiza and the squad in Dubai – he admitted he was yet to speak with him.
“As you know, I wasn’t here the last few days. And neither was Trent, so I haven’t spoken to him yet,” he explained.
“Today is the first day we come back together.
“It’s the first day we train after a few days off, so it’s quite early for me now to say what the team would look like and what the squad would look like on Monday.”
