£43k per week summer deal will solve two MAJOR problems

Liverpool’s problems in defence - particularly at right-back - are stacking up.

Long-time incumbent Trent Alexander-Arnold moved on from Anfield last summer after 20 years at the club - inking a lucrative deal with Real Madrid.

It was reckoned that signing Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for £29m and contracting Conor Bradley on a long-term deal would be enough for Richard Hughes to solve the issue.

But it’s not worked out like that.

Bradley and Frimpong injured

Frimpong has proven himself to be a better attacker than defender - something that will come as no surprise to those who watched him in the Bundesliga.

Besides the 25-year-old is injured again - his third such spell out of the team this season. And Bradley too is on the sidelines - and not expected to play again until the 2026/27 season.

Liverpool have experimented with using Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai in the position this season with Joe Gomez also getting some first-team action.

Liverpool need centre-back depth too

This weekend for the visit of Manchester City the team’s needs at right-back are laid bare - with none of Bradley, Frimpong and Gomez able to start.

It is likely that Szoboszlai will play there again - not an ideal situation considering the Hungarian’s influence in midfield.

This problem is going to have to be sorted once and for all - and it looks like club decision-makers are making plans to recruit another right-back in summer.

It would be a bargain deal for Roma right-sided defender Zeki Celik with the Turkey international out of contract in summer 2026.

Zeki Celik is the one

Celik has been at the Italian capital club since 2022 when he switched from Lille. And Italian transfer reporter Marco Conterio has now claimed that Liverpool is one of the options the 28-year-old has got on the table ahead of the summer window.

“Roma must make its renewal offer to Zeki Celik: the Turk has given priority to the renewal and to the yellow-and-red club, but he already has more than one inquiry,” he wrote on X.

“Among these is also Liverpool.”

Celik can play as an orthodox right-back as well as a right-sided centre-back - if Liverpool were persuaded to change to a back-three system. He has also featured as a wing-back for the Giallorossi.

That kind of versatility would prove very useful for Arne Slot next season - especially if the 58-cap international moves for free. Celik is reported by Capology to be making around €50k per week at the Stadio Olimpico - which equates to around £43k.

That kind of money wouldn’t break the bank for Richard Hughes and would also give Liverpool a massive insurance policy all down the right side next season and beyond.

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