Frimpong set to fill Trent’s boots

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Liverpool are closing in on Dutch full-back Jeremie Frimpong, whose £30m release clause makes him a risk-free replacement for the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold, writes Dylan Johnson.

Jeremie Frimpong is emerging as a serious target for Liverpool as they prepare for life after Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose move to Real Madrid is set to go through this summer. With Arne Slot now firmly in charge following a Premier League title in his debut season, attention has quickly turned to reshaping the squad, and finding a suitable right-back is high on the agenda.

Initial contact has already been made with Bayer Leverkusen, where Frimpong has become one of the most exciting attacking full-backs in Europe. The 24-year-old has flourished under Xabi Alonso, contributing 30 goals and 44 assists in over 190 games while helping Leverkusen win the Bundesliga.

With a release clause reportedly around £30 million—well below his £60 million market valuation—Liverpool are sensing a rare opportunity to land a homegrown, high-ceiling player at a significant discount.

Frimpong, born in Amsterdam but a product of Manchester City’s academy, qualifies as homegrown under Premier League rules. His time at Celtic helped shape him into a more refined attacking player, but it’s at Leverkusen where he has truly exploded. Unlike Alexander-Arnold, whose primary creative tool is his range of passing, Frimpong is a dribbler.

He prefers to take on defenders, drive into the box, and stretch opposition lines with speed. Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman recently described him as “a big threat” and praised his speed and pressing, but also noted doubts about his defensive readiness at international level.

Frimpong is more of a wing-back or winger than a traditional right-back, which poses a tactical question for Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold, often criticised for his defending, still averaged 48% of his touches in his own half. Frimpong’s figure is just 22%, underlining how rarely he is required to defend. His touch map shows he operates almost exclusively in the final third, with 38% of his touches coming in that zone.

He’s made more than double the number of dribbles compared to Alexander-Arnold this season but completed fewer than half the passes, reinforcing just how different their attacking methods are.

Slot now faces a key decision. His current Liverpool side, built around a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, sees full-backs involved in both defensive structure and attacking support. But Frimpong’s success at Leverkusen has come in a back three, where he’s freed from defensive duties and allowed to bomb forward as a wing-back.

Whether Slot adapts his system to suit Frimpong or asks the player to become more disciplined remains to be seen. The alternative could be a hybrid approach, using Frimpong in specific matches or against certain types of opposition, with a more conservative option rotated in.

That more conservative option could be Conor Bradley, the 21-year-old Northern Ireland international who has impressed in spells during Alexander-Arnold’s injury absences. Slot has publicly backed Bradley and noted that the club has confidence in him stepping up. However, he also stressed that Bradley needs to build his fitness and consistency.

Despite starting just five league games this season, Bradley has shown flashes of promise—none more so than his Champions League showing against Real Madrid. His touch maps this season resemble those of Alexander-Arnold, with a balanced presence in both defensive and attacking zones.

For Liverpool, the idea of pairing Frimpong with Bradley offers tactical flexibility and depth. Frimpong can provide raw attacking thrust, suited for games where Liverpool dominate possession or need to break down low blocks. Bradley, meanwhile, offers a more defensively balanced option, ideal for tighter, more cautious encounters. Slot’s ability to develop and rotate both could be key to sustaining success.

At 24, with attacking output, European experience, and room for defensive growth, Frimpong looks like a sensible investment. He brings a different skill set to what Liverpool are used to at right-back but could be the ideal profile for a Slot-led evolution. While concerns over his defending remain, the potential to unlock his attacking threat in the right system may be too tempting for Liverpool to pass up.

Photo: Jan Fromme – firo sportphoto/Getty Images

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Dylan Johnson