Liverpool have agreed a deal to bring Jeremie Frimpong to the club from Bayer Leverkusen as the replacement of their legend Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.
It has been one memorable ride between the club and Trent, who came through the ranks at the club and went on to become a major part of their most successful teams in the modern era.
In his nine seasons with the first team, the English right-back not only redefined how Liverpool plays but the game as a whole. Despite being one of the best fullbacks, Trent is not famous for his defensive prowess.
It is his playmaking and intelligence that made him the player he is, one which is only scouted by the best teams in the world. He will be a huge miss for Liverpool, but the show has to continue.
Arne Slot has had no doubts about whom he wants to replace their Real Madrid-bound star with. It is his countryman Jeremie Frimpong, who has been an absolute joy to watch since making his senior debut at Celtic in 2019.
May be another boyhood Liverpool fan; Frimpong has confessed in an interview with Rising Ballers that he was close to joining The Reds as a youngster before eventually moving to Manchester City.
“I chose Liverpool first. I was going to sign for them, but back then, driving wasn’t a thing. My family wasn’t driving and it was far. Manchester City was local, so it made more sense. It was 15 minutes on the bus.” He said.
The Amsterdam-born player has come a long since his time in England at Manchester City Academy. Today, he is an established international with the Netherlands and was a key part of the Bayer Leverkusen team, which won the domestic double in Germany last season.
Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen are close to confirming the completion of the deal that will see Frimpong return to England with the Reds set to pay a release clause of around £30 million, and we take a look at what he will bring to the club, as he attempts to fill the void left by Trent.
Jeremie Frimpong: A New Kind of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Distinct Yet Familiar
While Trent Alexander-Arnold is undoubtedly world-class, his defensive frailties do not make him favoured by all the managers.
Earlier in the season, tension rose between the defender and new Liverpool manager Arne Slot due to his substitution during a Premier League game. While the issue was internally resolved, it was obvious the Dutchman was not a huge fan of Trent’s.
Yet, his imminent departure has no strings attached. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-term dream is to play for Real Madrid and after nine fulfilling years with the senior team, the time has come to take the next step.
Jeremie Frimpong is a completely different type of player. Although he is not the best right back around, his speed, relentlessness, pressing, and speed to recover make him slightly a better defender compared to Trent.
While Trent Alexander-Arnold thrives on playmaking, Jeremie Frimpong relies on high intensity and direct runs, albeit he is not only limited to these.
Stylistically, Frimpong is a front-footed wing-back who stretches play and pushes high up on the opposition back-line, which means he is bound to frequently occupy spaces that Salah thrives in.
Under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, he operated as the right wingback in a 3-4-2-1 system that granted him significant offensive freedom. Nevertheless, he also fit in well as a rightback in prior to this.
Frimpong, rather than participate extensively in build-up play, prefers to station himself high and wide on the right flank, effectively functioning as a winger.
This positioning allows him to exploit his exceptional speed and dribbling skills, making him a constant threat in one-on-one situations and enabling him to deliver precise cutbacks from the byline.
To maximize his style, Liverpool may have to involve a traditional striker more. Darwin Nunez has failed to make his mark in Anfield and may be on his way out. This opens up an opportunity to sign a top striker, to compliment their attack.
Part of Liverpool’s plans is to use Frimpong on the right flank in an attacking role – similar to his position as a right wing-back at Leverkusen. This way he provides depth, and allows the club to also give good play time to Conor Bradley, who has recently signed a long-term contract at the club.
Statistically, Frimpong’s offensive contributions are remarkable. He ranks in the 97th percentile among full-backs and wing-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for both non penalty expected goals and non penalty expected assists combined.
His ability to carry the ball into the opposition box and create scoring opportunities underscores his role as a key offensive asset.
While Frimpong’s primary focus is on attack, he exhibits strong pressing capabilities and utilizes his speed to recover when possession is lost.
However, his smaller stature (1.71m) can be a disadvantage in aerial duels, and he has a lower success rate in these situations.
Frimpong’s profile is defined by his attacking prowess, an asset that mirrors Liverpool’s long-standing approach with Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, this also suggests the Reds may inherit the same defensive vulnerabilities.
Nevertheless, like Trent, Frimpong’s strengths in the final third often outweigh his limitations at the back, and he has shown the ability to adapt and evolve—after all, he played right back in a four-man defense at Celtic.
Whether Arne Slot’s decision to double down on this high-risk, high-reward profile proves wise remains to be seen, but the signs are compelling.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
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Amazing
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