Liverpool have missed out on Denzel Dumfries after a late attempt to keep the Inter Milan right-back away from Real Madrid failed.
The Reds continue to be haunted by the pull of the Bernabeu in the transfer market, with another high-profile player choosing white over red. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move still stings, while Ibrahima Konate is now expected to join Real Madrid too — though in that instance, FSG ultimately chose to let him go.
Dumfries is the latest case. Liverpool made one final push to see if there was still a chance to continue negotiations, but the Dutchman has already set his sights on Spain.
Be honest, are you upset it’s Iraola and not Xabi Alonso? 👀
Sounds like Liverpool were always leaning towards the Bournemouth boss…
Liverpool tried one last run at Denzel Dumfries before Real Madrid agreement
Dumfries has been linked with Liverpool for months, and it was easy to see why. The right-back area was a problem last season, with Jeremie Frimpong struggling in a back four and the club still trying to properly replace Alexander-Arnold.
At £17m, Dumfries would have represented an experienced and affordable solution. He is proven at the top level and carries a real attacking threat.
There was some doubt over whether he would remain a target once Arne Slot was sacked. That question has now been answered, with Fabrizio Romano explaining that Liverpool still tried to keep the door open after Andoni Iraola came into place.
Romano said on his YouTube channel: “Today, Liverpool tried until the last minute to see if there was a chance of continuing the talks, negotiating for Dumfries, keeping the door open with the arrival of Iraola in place of Arne Slot.
“The answer was no, because Dumfries has chosen Real Madrid, wants to go there, has an agreement with Real Madrid, and is leaving Inter on excellent terms with everyone.”
It is another frustrating blow for Liverpool, and another example of Real Madrid getting stronger at their expense. The Trent angle is obvious too, because the former Reds vice-captain now appears set to face fresh competition on the right side of Madrid’s defence.
For Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board. Iraola needs a right-back who can cope in his system and give the team more balance than they had last season.
Dumfries would have made plenty of sense, but the decision has been made. Liverpool now need to move quickly, because allowing the same weakness to drag into another campaign cannot be an option.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
