Jeremie Frimpong could be heading to Anfield this summer. Had he lived a bit closer to Liverpool as a youngster, though, the move might have happened a lot sooner.
Links with the Bayer Leverkusen star are seemingly growing stronger by the hour for the Reds. Liverpool.com has known about the club’s interest in Frimpong for some time now, and it seems Arne Slot and Richard Hughes might not be wasting any time in finding a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Talks with the 24-year-old are already said to be at an advanced stage, while the player is said to be happy to make the move to Anfield, having already told his current club he wants to leave.
Frimpong has of course caught the eye in the last couple of years at Leverkusen, particularly as part of Xabi Alonso’s side that completed an unbeaten domestic double last season.
But Liverpool has been aware of the Netherlands international for even longer — in fact, he could have joined the Reds at the age of nine.
Frimpong was highly sought after as a youngster, with Liverpool among the clubs who tried to sign him during his formative years.
(Image: Getty Images)
Alas, the Reds would miss out on Frimpong as he instead joined Manchester City, despite him having already chosen Liverpool. In the end, his decision came down to a much more convenient bus ride.
Speaking to Rising Ballers back in January, Frimpong explained: “There were scouts there. Like Liverpool, Bolton, Man City, and a lot more. I chose Liverpool first.
“I was going to sign for them, but back then, driving wasn’t a thing, you know. My family wasn’t driving, and it was far. Man City was local, so I tried Man City next. It made more sense. It was 15 minutes on the bus.”
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Frimpong would stay at City until 2019, but wouldn’t go on to make a first-team appearance for the club before leaving for Celtic.
After two years in Glasgow, which included a treble in his first season, he made the move over to Germany with Leverkusen, where his performances under former Liverpool midfielder Alonso have earmarked as a potential replacement for the outgoing Alexander-Arnold this summer.
“Since I got here for the first time, since the first day, Jeremie has been a key player for us and for myself,” Alonso has said about Frimpong. “He’s a great guy.
“His personality… he brings a lot of joy to the locker room. So you need to keep him having this joy. But as well as become more mature.”
