Liverpool transfer news: The Reds beat Crystal Palace 3-1 on Sunday through goals from Mac Allister, Wirtz and Isak despite five injured absentees, steadying Andoni Iraola’s side after a 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal and keeping them fourth in the Premier League, on 18 points from ten games.

The right side of defence still looks the least settled area, though. Iraola spent heavily in the summer, including a reported £106m on Bradley Barcola and £34.5m on Víctor Muñoz, yet signed no specialist right-back.

Conor Bradley has not played all season after knee surgery following his January injury at Arsenal, and Iraola has only described gradual progress. Muñoz covered there at Brentford, with Ronald Araújo, on loan from Barcelona, and Joe Gomez the other stopgaps.

The remaining specialist arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5m to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, yet the Dutch international limped off within minutes of his half-time introduction in that 2-1 win on 17 October with a fresh muscle problem.

Iraola expected him to be out for some time. He missed 20 games through injury last season, having missed only 11 across the previous six years, and has started just two of Liverpool’s 10 league matches this term.

Exit talk shut down

That backdrop sharpened interest in speculation that intermediaries offered Jeremie Frimpong to Al-Hilal. TEAMtalk reports sources close to the situation have dismissed the links, citing no genuine interest from Saudi clubs and no substance to the rumours, while Liverpool still view the 25-year-old as part of their plans. A source close to Al-Hilal told Kooora that Simone Inzaghi wants a centre-back and a midfielder first.

What Frimpong offers and where he struggles

Frimpong brings pace, carrying and end product, shown by 23 goals in 133 Bundesliga games and a Champions League goal at LASK on 14 October. Durability is the obvious flaw; he struggled against David Brooks on his debut, and a 4-2-3-1 offers no wing-back role, where he thrived at Leverkusen.

Liverpool transfer news: Should Liverpool keep Frimpong beyond January?

Yes, for now. Selling at a low point would cost Liverpool a player contracted until June 2030 while Bradley is still rebuilding his fitness and Muñoz, Araújo and Gomez remain makeshift options; Football Insider reports the club would refuse a January sale anyway.

Frimpong needs 10 consecutive league games after his return to show whether his injuries are a pattern or bad luck. If they are, Liverpool should sell next summer and sign a defensively reliable right-back, because neither his hamstrings nor Bradley’s knee history offer Iraola real long-term security.