As Jeremie Frimpong seals his switch to Liverpool, we dive into the numbers to assess whether the Dutch international suits the Anfield setup.
Football waits for no one.
Mere hours after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s much-anticipated transfer to Real Madrid became official, Liverpool unveiled his successor.
Frimpong joins the Reds from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £30 million (€35m), marking the club’s first signing ahead of the summer transfer window.
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From Leverkusen Star to Liverpool Hopeful: Can Frimpong Fill the Void Left by Trent?
While Frimpong’s playful and approachable personality likely fueled the buzz, his interactions had Liverpool fans wondering—could the speedy Dutchman be a genuine option for the Reds, especially given the growing uncertainty (later validated) around Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future?
One of the biggest questions was whether Frimpong could function as a traditional right-back, considering he excelled as an attacking wing-back under Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen.
However, before Alonso took charge at the BayArena in October 2022, Frimpong was no stranger to a back four. He played as a full-back during his formative years at Manchester City, during an 18-month stint at Celtic, and in his initial Bundesliga seasons.
Alonso’s system, however, elevated his game. By deploying Frimpong and left wing-back Álex Grimaldo in high, wide attacking roles, the Spaniard reaped significant rewards.
Frimpong was instrumental in Leverkusen’s historic 2023–24 season, when they clinched their maiden Bundesliga title unbeaten—Germany’s first-ever invincibles—while also winning the DFB-Pokal and reaching the Europa League final. He contributed 14 goals and 10 assists across 47 appearances, with only three teammates posting more goal involvements than his 24.
Though Leverkusen couldn’t replicate the same heights this season—finishing second to Bayern Munich and exiting the Champions League in the last 16—Frimpong still made a solid impact with 5 goals and 9 assists in 48 matches.
With Alexander-Arnold departing the Premier League champions, Conor Bradley is set for more opportunities. Yet, given the young Northern Irishman’s injury record over the past two seasons, not bringing in another right-back would have been a considerable gamble.
Blistering Pace, Relentless Runs: What Jeremie Frimpong Brings to Liverpool
So, what kind of player is Jeremie Frimpong? We previously floated his name as a potential replacement once news of Alexander-Arnold’s exit broke, but let’s now take a deeper dive into what makes him tick.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Frimpong’s game is his movement.
He’s a relentless sprinter. According to Bundesliga stats, Frimpong recorded the second-most sprints in the league this past season (1,021), narrowly trailing RB Leipzig’s Ridle Baku (1,031).
He’s also blisteringly quick. In the 2024–25 Bundesliga campaign, Frimpong registered the seventh-highest top speed at 36.34 km/h—faster than notable speedsters like Alphonso Davies (36.24 km/h) and Karim Adeyemi (36.18 km/h).
To put that into Premier League perspective, only seven players clocked a faster top speed this season. Liverpool’s quickest was Jarell Quansah, hitting 35.47 km/h—placing him behind 27 others across the league.
Ball-playing-wise, Liverpool will feel the absence of Alexander-Arnold’s range. No player in the squad attempted more long passes than his 299 this season, with a solid 42% accuracy despite regularly attempting high-difficulty balls.
Frimpong, by contrast, attempted only 32 long passes in the Bundesliga last season—11 of his Leverkusen teammates tried more. Even in 2021–22, when he primarily played as a full-back, he attempted just 77 long passes. It’s clear he doesn’t possess the same expansive passing range as Alexander-Arnold—but then again, few right-backs do.
That said, Frimpong still drives his team forward—just with his feet rather than his passing. The Dutchman prefers to carry the ball up the pitch himself, using his explosive speed and dribbling rather than relying on long-range distribution.
A carry refers to when a player moves the ball at least five metres, and among Bundesliga players with 250 or more carries this season, only two averaged more distance per carry than Jeremie Frimpong’s 8.3 metres (from 278 carries).
While 31 players recorded more progressive carries than his 192—defined as carries that advance the ball five or more metres upfield—Frimpong stood out for the depth of those runs. He progressed the ball at least 10 metres on 109 occasions, a feat surpassed by only 12 players. Once he starts running, few defenders can keep up.
In comparison, Trent Alexander-Arnold managed just 64 such long progressive carries in the Premier League this season.
Frimpong’s impact is also seen in end-product following his carries. He registered four assists after a carry in the Bundesliga, ranking just behind teammates Florian Wirtz (five) and Wolfsburg’s Mohammed Amoura (six) in that category.
Interestingly, when Frimpong was deployed as a right-back in the 2021–22 season, he was even more effective at carrying the ball, averaging 9.7 metres per carry from 354 carries. Only Filip Kostić (10.1m from 384 carries) had a higher average among Bundesliga players with at least 250 carries that season.
Another element Liverpool will miss from Alexander-Arnold is his crossing. While Frimpong doesn’t take set-pieces, he’s an active crosser from open play. His 116 open-play crosses this Bundesliga season were second only to Maximilian Mittelstädt.
In terms of precision, there’s room for improvement—his 22 successful open-play crosses were bettered by seven players—but Alexander-Arnold only marginally topped that with 23. Notably, Frimpong often delivers his crosses from much closer to the byline, influenced by his advanced wing-back positioning.
If Liverpool maintain their current buildup structure, Frimpong will likely see a significant rise in involvement from deeper positions. This past season, he averaged just 50.1 touches per 90 minutes in league play—far fewer than Alexander-Arnold (87.9) and Conor Bradley (83.7).
Yet many of Frimpong’s touches came in threatening zones. Only Florian Wirtz (162) and Patrik Schick (118) had more touches in the opposition box than Frimpong (117) for Leverkusen. His 4.5 box touches per 90 minutes were more than double Alexander-Arnold’s 1.9. Interestingly, Bradley averaged even more (5.4), which suggests Arne Slot may want his right-back to make more aggressive runs into the box—a role Frimpong’s direct playing style seems tailor-made for.
One area where Frimpong’s signing has drawn skepticism is his defensive ability. Much like Trent Alexander-Arnold—an undeniably elite player who’s long faced criticism over his defensive contributions—Frimpong is already being viewed by some as a potential weak link at the back.
Defensive Strengths and Areas for Growth: How Frimpong Compares in Tackles and Duels
Labeling Frimpong a top-tier defender would be a stretch, but calling him poor in that area would also be unjust.
Between his arrival at Leverkusen in January 2021 and the appointment of Xabi Alonso in October 2022, Frimpong played 43 Bundesliga matches primarily as a traditional right-back. That stretch offers the most useful context for assessing his defensive performance, given the greater responsibilities placed on full-backs compared to wing-backs.
During that period, he averaged 1.6 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, and 4.8 ball recoveries per 90 minutes. In aerial challenges, he won 40.7% of his 1.7 duels per 90—a modest figure, but not one that suggests glaring weakness.
This season in the Premier League, Trent Alexander-Arnold has averaged 2.7 tackles per 90 minutes, while Conor Bradley is closer to Frimpong’s range with 1.7 tackles per 90. In terms of interceptions, Alexander-Arnold posts 1.2 per 90, compared to Bradley’s 0.5. Interestingly, Bradley leads in ball recoveries with 6.1 per 90, slightly ahead of Alexander-Arnold’s 5.0. Aerially, Bradley has been solid, winning 57.9% of his 2.3 duels per game, whereas Alexander-Arnold has struggled, managing just an 18.8% success rate from 0.6 duels per 90.
But how does Frimpong fare when it comes to defending against dribblers? One useful metric is the number of “true tackles” a player attempts—this includes successful tackles (where possession is regained or the ball is safely out of play), challenges that fail to connect, and fouls committed during a tackle attempt.
This stat is especially relevant in comparing full-backs because Alexander-Arnold actually recorded the lowest success rate among Premier League defenders this season in stopping dribblers, getting beaten 42.8% of the time across 131 true tackle attempts. In total, he was dribbled past 56 times—at least six more than any other defender in the league.
It’s important to consider that Frimpong’s average position on the pitch was higher than Alexander-Arnold’s, meaning he faced fewer dribblers, with only 53 true tackle attempts in the 2024-25 Bundesliga season. Of those, he was beaten just 13 times, giving him a success rate of 24.5%. Among the 145 Bundesliga players who attempted at least 50 true tackles this season, only 35 had a better success rate than Frimpong.
His speed also helps him recover quickly and cover counter-attacks. However, he could improve his body positioning when tracking back, as he sometimes struggles to slow down enough to prevent attackers from cutting inside. That said, he has a talent for poking the ball away with his foot and uses his agility and compact frame effectively to get between the attacker and the ball when space permits.
At just 24 years old, Frimpong still has plenty of room to develop. While his true tackle numbers are solid, Alexander-Arnold’s defensive improvements under manager Arne Slot this season show how much progress can be made. Slot has proven he can elevate his full-backs, and he’ll likely do the same with Frimpong.
Frimpong formed a close bond with Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen, highlighted by a recent goal celebration where he ran to Alonso and leapt into his arms during Alonso’s final home game—a fitting farewell before Alonso presumably joins Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid.
Potential Impact at Liverpool: Synergy with Salah, Availability, and Homegrown Advantage
One Liverpool star who isn’t going anywhere is Mohamed Salah, making it intriguing to consider how Frimpong might link up with him. Salah dominates Liverpool’s right attacking flank, and their heat maps from this season suggest that if they share the same side, one would likely need to play more centrally.
That said, with the once lightning-fast Salah turning 33 this summer, he might appreciate having someone like Frimpong to draw defenders wide with his bursts down the flank, allowing Salah to cut inside and add more goals to his tally.
Frimpong’s experience playing higher up the pitch could also prove valuable when covering for Salah, who is expected to miss several weeks mid-season due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Not only did Frimpong operate as an advanced wing-back under Alonso, but his national team coach, Ronald Koeman, often deployed him as a winger during the recent UEFA Nations League campaign, including the semi-final clash against Spain. His assist for Tijjani Reijnders’ goal in the first leg perfectly showcased his attacking abilities, executing a slick give-and-go with the Milan midfielder before setting him up to finish.
Frimpong’s availability will be a significant asset, having featured in 95 of Leverkusen’s 103 matches across all competitions over the past two seasons.
Another advantage is that, thanks to his time at Manchester City, Frimpong qualifies as a homegrown player—an important factor for Liverpool as they lose a homegrown talent in Alexander-Arnold.
The negative reaction Liverpool fans showed toward Alexander-Arnold during the 2-2 draw with Arsenal was largely due to his apparent desire to leave. However, the atmosphere was much warmer at the Premier League trophy celebrations on Sunday and Monday, where Trent said an emotional farewell. Notably, most reports about Frimpong’s signing highlighted his eagerness to be part of the Liverpool project.
The 2024-25 season has just wrapped up, yet here we are already discussing transfers for 2025-26. Just like Jeremie Frimpong’s arrival proves, football moves at a rapid pace.
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FAQs
What makes Jeremie Frimpong a standout signing for Liverpool?
Frimpong stands out with his blistering pace, elite dribbling, and direct attacking runs, offering a new dynamic down Liverpool’s right flank.
How does Frimpong differ from Trent Alexander-Arnold?
While Alexander-Arnold excels with long passing and playmaking, Frimpong thrives through progressive carries and high-tempo sprints into the final third.
Is Jeremie Frimpong defensively reliable?
Frimpong is not a defensive powerhouse but maintains a solid tackle success rate and uses his speed and agility effectively to recover and defend.
Can Frimpong cover for Mohamed Salah during AFCON?
Yes, Frimpong’s experience as a wing-back and winger allows him to step into advanced roles and provide cover when Salah is away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Why is Frimpong’s homegrown status important for Liverpool?
Frimpong qualifies as a homegrown player due to his time at Manchester City, helping Liverpool maintain squad balance amid Alexander-Arnold’s departure.
