Liverpool is not sitting around. As Trent Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid is essentially a done deal, the English club went out and shopped and has already agreed to take right-back Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen. That was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.
The Reds have triggered the Dutchman's release clause, arranged personal terms, and will likely announce the signing within the coming days. Frimpong, 24 and a solid performer in the Bundesliga, is the inaugural player under the Arne Slot era and arrives with the confidence to play a starting role.
Attack profile and ready integration in Slot's system
Frimpong was the standout of the previous two seasons at Bayer Leverkusen and was one of the most stable assets in Xabi Alonso's title-winning team. In the 2023/24 season, Frimpong contributed to 26 goals, 14 scored and 12 assisted. This year, he's retained 12 assists and added five goals.
Arne Slot is losing an attacking right-back, but one in the gain. Frimpong's precisely the sort of player. He possesses alongside furious speed powerful tactical awareness, finishing, and an unshakeable presence in the final third. He even excels in pressurized situations and understands stretching the field in build-up.
Back to England with experience and potential
Despite constructing his professional career outside the country, Frimpong is not an outsider to English football. He moved close to a decade through Manchester City's academy, 2010 to 2019. So he is familiar with the surroundings, the culture, the mode of playing, and the ferocity of the league. Such experience should ease his transition and also has a bureaucratic payoff: he is a "homegrown player," something Premier League squad building requires.
With Alexander-Arnold's departure, Liverpool is required to have no fewer than eight homegrowns in the squad. Frimpong helps with that, even if he made a name for himself in Europe after he had departed England. He meets more than one criterion.