Michael Kayode Extends Brentford Contract: And Liverpool's Right-back Conundrum Continues

Fabrizio Romano has exclusively revealed this morning that Michael Kayode will extend his Brentford contract until 2032, having only recently joined the club in the January of 2025. The Italian U21 international had long been mooted by fans as a potential option in Liverpool's widely discussed hunt for a new right-back this summer.

Whilst Liverpool had never been explicitly linked to Kayode, for many fans he stood as a standout, Premier League-proven, option for the right-back role in Andoni Iraola's new-look Liverpool team. He may well have been a good fit for Iraola's style of play, given his immense physicality and defensive solidity. 

That's not to say Kayode doesn't have value going forward, but his signing would've represented the addition of a player whose primary role is to provide security for the attackers. 

Kayode isn't the only high-profile right-back that Liverpool fans have seen come off the market already this summer. Chelsea recently confirmed the signing of the much-coveted Marco Palestra from Atalanta.

With two of the most high-profile names no longer available, Liverpool fans are still asking: who will play at right-back next season?

Liverpool have a lot of work to do this summer, and corners may be cut when it comes to their transfer business. This hasn't been an uncommon phenomenon under FSG's stewardship, with recruitment often putting emphasis on finding the right player over filling every single squad gap.

READ MORE: Lucas Bergvall Wants To Leave Tottenham: Could He Be An Option For Liverpool?

So, what solutions do Liverpool already possess? In the absence of Conor Bradley, and with worries surrounding his fitness upon his return, there are two 'homemade solutions': Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong.

Szoboszlai played at right-back multiple times last season, covering for both Bradley and Frimpong's injury absences. The Hungarian impressed there, but many agree it is simply not his position. There is a strong argument that his talents are wasted that far away from the action. Furthermore, close tactical observers will note how his absence from Liverpool's frontline press last season had an immense negative effect on the team's capabilities out of possession. 

The other solution would be Frimpong, who was originally brought in to provide a serious option at right-back. The 'Flying Dutchman' has been closely scrutinised by Liverpool fans since the end of last season. However, this scrutiny often forgets that there was a period, between his multiple injuries, where he played, and played well, at right-back. Whilst those repeated injuries raise concerns surrounding his own reliability, depending on the tactical set-up Iraola pursues, Frimpong could still end up a natural fit for the right-back role at Liverpool. 

Barring a Víctor Muñoz-style surprise acquisition, it will have to be one of these options (and/or the return of Conor Bradley) to solve Liverpool's right-back conundrum next season. If Liverpool do end up finding a signing to bolster the position, it will be extremely interesting to discover which kind of profile the Reds opt for.

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