With homegrown star Trent Alexander-Arnold closing the chapter on his Liverpool career and heading to Real Madrid, the Reds are in need of a new right back with a similar skill-set. Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong has long been rumored as a possible replacement, and The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports, via LFCVine, that the Dutchman would be interested in joining Liverpool if they make an approach.
Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title last season as an undefeated side and were in the race until this past weekend in the current campaign, with Frimpong playing a vital role last season and an important, albeit lesser, one in the 2024/25 season.
One of the best attacking right backs in European football, Frimpong is arguably second to only Alexander-Arnold himself in that regard, playing almost a winger role in such an advanced wide midfield role in the back-three system that Xabi Alonso has in Leverkusen.
Jeremie Frimpong could be cheaper this summer
Since Frimpong has cooled a bit and Real Madrid have already signed Alexander-Arnold for free from Liverpool, the Dutch international could join Liverpool and manager Arne Slot for cheaper than he would have last year.
Frimpong hasn’t even entered the prime of his career yet at the age of 24, but he’s already had multiple successful seasons at the European level. He is closing in on 10 total goal contributions this season in the Bundesliga after registering at least 15 in each of the past two seasons in Leverkusen.
Last year, Frimpong averaged 1.5 key passes, 1.5 dribbles completed, and 1.6 tackles per game. Liverpool will hope that if they make an approach for him in the summer 2025 transfer window, he will bounce back to those numbers rather than the more average production he posted this season.
But buying low has its benefits, and Liverpool have a history of doing that with Bundesliga talents, such as center backs Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip who both eventually became club icons.
The differences between Frimpong and Alexander-Arnold
Frimpong has his weaknesses coming off a down year and with his defensive issues, but if Liverpool are looking for as close of a one-to-one attacking replacement for Alexander-Arnold, then it is the 24-year-old Leverkusen man.
Of course, Frimpong doesn’t have the technical quality or creativity to produce the volume of chances or the quality of chances of Alexander-Arnold, but he is a faster, more explosive player and a better overall athlete who progresses the play better than any right back in world football.
It’s a gamble going after Frimpong, but you have to think, with the player interested and Slot favoring exciting Dutch attacking talents, he stands a fair shot at being one of the favored options to replace a club legend.
Joe Soriano covers Tottenham for FanSided’s Hotspur HQ and writes about Real Madrid for The Real Champs. He has extensive experience covering world football since 2014. Joe is an editor for The Trivela Effect, where he covers the biggest clubs in European football. He has watched professional sports regularly since 2002 and can be found playing the same sports he covers with his friends.