Liverpool transfer news: Summer recruit heading for Anfield exit after just one season?

Liverpool‘s title defence has turned into a major disappointment. Arne Slot's side are fighting hard simply to hold on to a Champions League qualifying position, having already been eliminated from every cup competition — leaving the entire season teetering on the brink of failure.

The mood at the club was lifted, at least briefly, by a dramatic Merseyside derby victory at Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock in the first half before Beto levelled for the hosts, and it took a Virgil van Dijk header in the 100th minute to seal a 2-1 win. Yet the fact that it was Salah and Van Dijk — the old guard — who rescued the result perfectly illustrates Liverpool's central problem this season. A summer spending spree of almost £400m has, so far, produced virtually nothing.

Injuries and underperformance from new arrivals

The outlay has been enormous, but the returns bear no relation to the investment. The situation has been severely compounded by an extraordinary run of injury misfortune. High-profile signings Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike have all suffered serious injuries that have kept them sidelined for extended periods.

But even among those who have remained fit, there is little satisfaction at Anfield. The likes of Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and, above all, Jeremie Frimpong have proved deeply underwhelming and have simply failed to justify their price tags. Frimpong in particular appears to be on the brink of an exit, with the club said to be seriously considering selling him — despite his arrival less than a year ago.

Inter Milan's Dumfries identified as solution

The Dutch international arrived from Bayer Leverkusen with a formidable reputation, having been part of the side that went through the entire Bundesliga season unbeaten. Slot even deployed him as an out-and-out winger at times, though the primary plan was for him to develop into a long-term replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Frimpong has managed just ten Premier League starts, which has caused significant alarm, particularly given that his main competition for the position, Conor Bradley, has been absent since January with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Liverpool are now actively searching for a replacement. Experienced Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries has caught their attention, and this is not the first time. British media reported that Liverpool made a loan approach in January, which the Italian champions flatly rejected. The 30-year-old has a release clause of just under £22m in his contract,  a figure that several major European clubs are carefully monitoring.