Liverpool haven’t taken long to find their supposed replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Jeremie Frimpong, 24, has completed his Anfield switch after three-and-a-half glorious years at Bayer Leverkusen, where under the tutelage of ex-Reds maestro Xabi Alonso, he helped guide the German outfit to a historic unbeaten domestic double in 2023/24.
He signs for £29.5m after Liverpool activated his release clause – a bargain of a fee, given the fact he has been one of the best on the globe in his position for the past two or so years.
However, what exactly is his position? And how will he fit in Arne Slot’s system?
On the surface, Frimpong does not look like the perfect fit for Slot’s four-back system. He thrived as a marauding wing-back beside Alonso’s back three and was more of a winger than a defender. In fact, his average positioning last season was far more similar to Mohamed Salah than it was to Alexander-Arnold.
While much was made of Alexander-Arnold’s defending capabilities during his eight-year run in Liverpool’s first team, the 26-year-old did take up a considerably deeper role than previously under Jurgen Klopp this season, with Slot valuing defensive security the constant overlapping option.
Whereas with Frimpong, one of his main eye-catching qualities is his forward movement. He has lightning pace, and he is not afraid to use it – recording the second most sprints in the German top flight this season. Frimpong’s ability to carry the ball forward down the right has proved pivotal to Alonso across the past two seasons and it’s led to him racking up a fair number of goal contributions from his position, with 19 goals and 24 assists in all competitions since the beginning of 2023/24.
Last term, the Dutchman recorded 109 long progressive carries – which requires a player to move with the ball up the field by at least 10m – while Alexander-Arnold managed just 63 in the Premier League, as per Opta. But what the Englishman has perhaps lacked in pace, he makes up with his passing range, something Frimpong can’t exactly match.
It’s clear to see that Frimpong for Alexander-Arnold is not a like-for-like change at right-back. When looking at him, the Dutchman seems more like right-wing reinforcements for Salah. However, Frimpong is not a winger who has been made accustomed to a more defensive position over time, akin to a Juan Cuadrado type. Much of his early career at Celtic and the Manchester City academy saw him utilised as a full-back in a defensive four.
While his best years at Leverkusen came at wing-back, he spent much of his first two seasons at the BayArena at right-back, in which he averaged 1.6 tackles per 90, 0.6 interceptions and won possession 4.8 times per 90. He is a capable defender, and it’s why his arrival is unlikely to spark a systemic change for Slot.
However, given his recent regularity of all but playing on the wing for club and country, whether he is thrown straight into Slot’s back four is up for debate. We can see him starting the season as second fiddle to Alexander-Arnold’s long-time understudy Conor Bradley.
Bradley, 21, has a fight on his hands if he is to become Liverpool’s bona fide starter at right-back following Alexander-Arnold’s departure. He shouldn’t take Frimpong’s arrival as a slight on his ability, though – competition and depth in quality is healthy for title-calibre squads. And it’s clear he has the faith of the club, having just been handed a four-year contract extension.
The Northern Irishman, a far more natural, defensively-strong right-back than Frimpong, knows the system and could start the season as the preferred option while Frimpong beds himself in to new surroundings. It’s not unprecedented to see future Liverpool mainstays see their minutes limited during the early stages of their Anfield tenure – the likes of Andy Robertson and Fabinho took months to earn their place as a regular starter under Klopp. Whether Slot takes a similar approach to let Frimpong adapt, given the apparent playstyle clash, is yet to be seen.
And while the fee obviously isn’t everything, Frimpong’s price tag hardly represents that of an immediate starter. Just shy of £30m, he surely arrives knowing minutes are not guaranteed. As such, he could end up starting the season as rotational support for both Bradley and Salah, with an eye to locking down right-back down the line.
Analysing the Slot system, Frimpong seems to be in this position of limbo when looking at where he’s thrived most over the past two years. However, what Slot proved within the first couple games of his tenure on Merseyside was his transformational powers. The reinvention of a raw, attacking-minded Ryan Gravenberch into one of the best defensive midfield playmakers in the world was nothing short of remarkable. Gravenberch, countryman and close friend to Frimpong, will no doubt have relayed the wonders that Slot, another Dutchman, can do.
Although there remain question marks over Frimpong’s role, we should expect them to be answered soon enough. Liverpool’s has been all but flawless in recent times – Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards seem to know what they’re doing. Whether a surprise tactical shift is in the offing or not, Liverpool will have a clear idea on how they can mould Frimpong into the player they require as they look to successfully defend their Premier League title.
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