Liverpool could conceivably unveil Jeremie Frimpong at the final game of the 2024/25 season, such is the pace at which this transfer story is moving.
FSG is known for making astute and calculated signings in the market, but even by their standards, the move for Frimpong underlines Liverpool’s ruthless efficiency in the market.
A Dutch international with experience in the Champions League, he undoubtedly has the quality to thrive at Anfield. That he fits the age criteria, is deemed as homegrown from his time at Manchester City, and already knows three of his soon-to-be teammates also works in Frimpong’s favor. Crucially, a €35 million ($39M) buy-out clause removes the exasperating haggle over price, and the defender will head to Anfield for a relatively modest fee.
It’s savvy business all round and, while not yet confirmed, recent reports indicate confirmation is only a matter of days away. Frimpong could even be in Merseyside on Monday to complete a medical.
It eases all the worries about replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, perhaps the biggest uncertainty heading into the summer. There were few standout right-backs on the market – Liverpool has snapped up the prime candidate.
It’s also the only position the Reds looked set to be lacking in two first-team options. That obstacle has already been vaulted over at dizzying, Frimpong-esque speed.
Incredibly, there’s every chance Alexander-Arnold’s replacement will be announced before the much-anticipated move to Real Madrid is made public. Meanwhile, confirmation that Conor Bradley has penned a four-year deal brings is an added boost. After all the worry about the team’s direction, right-back could be one of the most fiercely competitive positions next term.
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That’s before considering Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk’s contract extensions, which have instilled a general sense of stability throughout the club. The summer buzzword has gone from replace to improve.
Frimpong and Bradley may lack Alexander-Arnold’s creativity, but Liverpool was never going to find a like-for-like replacement in the market.
That Slot has plumped for a dulldozing, dynamic, dribbling full-back suggests there will be a change of tact next season, as does the interest in Milos Kerkez on the opposite flank. Even Bradley injects a pace boost into the side when selected, and Liverpool’s 2025/26 iteration may differ markedly from the title-winning version.
Speed is the operative word around this transfer. While rivals are focusing on cup finals and European qualification, Liverpool is already stealing a march.
That’s the advantage of wrapping up the title so quickly, and Slot even acknowledged on Friday that his mind is more focused on transfers than the two remaining games.
Ticking off a new right-back so quickly – assuming Frimpong’s move goes through – will allow the Reds to turn their attention elsewhere quickly. A left-back and striker are key, while a center-back and holding midfielder are considered possibilities too.
Given Frimpong’s ability to play as a winger, Slot’s insistence that Federico Cheisa still has a future at Liverpool, and Luiz Diaz’s admission that contract talks will start soon, another winger seems unlikely.
But what has become abundantly clear is that Liverpool is approaching the market with a clear, thought-out strategy. Whatever moves Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards have up their sleeves, the approach for Frimpong is just their opening gambit.
