Liverpool’s curiosity in Jeremie Frimpong has divided opinion with considerations over his credentials as a right-back – however a £30 million deal might make sense for the membership.
If dependable reviews are to be believed, there’s real curiosity in Frimpong forward of the summer season switch window.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold asserting his determination to go away on a free switch it’s no shock that Liverpool will probably be assess quite a lot of choices within the right-back market.
However the prospect of signing a participant who has largely performed as an attacking wing-back for Bayer Leverkusen and is barely requested to defend has been raised as a priority.
That might, in any case, solely amplify the structural points each Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot labored round in accommodating the generational high quality of Alexander-Arnold.
To be a fly on the wall throughout Ibrahima Konate‘s contract talks when he learns he will probably be overlaying much more house on the appropriate facet of defence – these overtures from Madrid and Paris could out of the blue be extra interesting.
Nonetheless, there’s actually sense in Liverpool pursuing a deal for Frimpong, who’s regarded as accessible for as little as £30 million this summer season – payable in instalments – on account of a launch clause in his contract.
Solely that will not be within the context many are viewing this potential signing with.
Slot’s plans for Bradley
At first, there have been repeated indications from Slot himself that he’s planning for subsequent season with Conor Bradley as his first-choice right-back.
“A really gifted participant, Conor,” the pinnacle coach advised reporters on Friday, confirming Bradley would begin forward of Alexander-Arnold within the remaining video games of this marketing campaign to “be higher ready for subsequent season.”
“Sadly, hasn’t been match all through the entire season, and to turn into an excellent participant, you need to be accessible each single week as properly.
“That’s step one he has to make for subsequent season, however now we have numerous confidence in Conor as an excellent full-back for Liverpool, and that’s already what he’s proven prior to now two seasons.”
Addressing considerations over Bradley’s health, Slot later added: “Those who usually are not common starters, it’s more durable to maintain them match than those who’re.
“If Conor goes to be the common starter subsequent season that might perhaps assist him.
“I believe he had 20 video games (in a row) final season when Trent was injured. Let’s hope that has a constructive impression on his health as properly.”
With out even needing to learn between the strains, it’s clear that so long as he can discover consistency in his health, Bradley will probably be Alexander-Arnold’s successor.
There’s a lot to love about that too: forward of his twenty second birthday in July, he has already performed 54 occasions for Liverpool, scoring as soon as and helping 10 objectives, whereas incomes 23 caps for Northern Eire with two as captain.
Bradley performs the right-back position with relentless vitality; a extra conventional overlapping full-back than followers have turn into used to with Alexander-Arnold and a tireless runner Slot has in comparison with Achraf Hakimi.
He has proven he’s comfy coming in-field, too, as he confirmed with assists for Alexis Mac Allister in opposition to Actual Madrid and Luis Diaz at Fulham this season.
It’s his dedication in defence which might be much more interesting, with the response to his sliding sort out on Kylian Mbappe at Anfield exhibiting the worth of a extra rounded choice beginning subsequent to Konate on that proper facet.
What Frimpong affords
To deliver one other right-back of an identical age wouldn’t solely serve to dam Bradley’s pathway once more, however it will ship a demoralising message to a participant who has waited patiently for his likelihood behind the perfect on the earth in his place.
There may be each signal at this stage that the plan will probably be for Bradley to turn into beginning right-back with one or each of Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah round to fill in when required.
So the place does Frimpong match into this?
Put merely, he could not: as a substitute, there’s each likelihood Liverpool are trying on the Netherlands worldwide as an all-round right-sider with an appreciation for what he already affords, not what he lacks.
Per FBrefFrimpong is within the fourth percentile amongst full-backs throughout Europe when it comes tackles (1.08 per 90) and the third percentile for interceptions (0.37).
By comparability, Alexander-Arnold is within the 81st percentile for tackles (2.61) and the eightieth percentile for interceptions (1.22) – the ‘Trent can’t defend’ brigade would have a area day in the event that they watched Leverkusen’s No. 30.
What Frimpong does supply, nevertheless, is an elite degree of output going ahead: within the 99th percentile for each touches within the opponent’s penalty space (4.93) and progressive passes acquired (10.65), and the 98th percentile for progressive carries (4.13).
He’s within the 97th percentile amongst full-backs for non-penalty anticipated objectives and anticipated assists mixed (0.35 per 90), which is much more than Alexander-Arnold (0.33).
That ought to come as no shock, given the breakdown of positions Frimpong has performed over his 130 video games for Xabi Alonso up to now:
RWB: 107
RB: 13
RW: 7
AM: 3
Whereas reviews round Liverpool’s curiosity in Frimpong forged him as a right-back, his final season taking part in that position constantly was in 2021/22 and he was actually not on the degree he’s at present working at again then.
He can extra precisely be described as a right-sided attacker who can fill in at right-back if wanted – and his output of 25 objectives and 33 assists in these 130 video games beneath Alonso reveals how efficient he might be with that remit.
In reality, when evaluating Frimpong’s statistics with that of one other Liverpool participant, the hyperlinks start to make extra sense:
Whereas it must be famous that Frimpong’s knowledge mannequin comes as a full-back, reasonably than a winger, it’s eye-opening how related he charts to Mohamed Salah.
These fashions don’t mirror how terrifying an opponent he might be for his markers, both, with Frimpong and Alphonso Davies the one two gamers to chart among the many 10 quickest within the Bundesliga in each season since he joined Leverkusen.
That could be a extra correct portrayal of what the Dutchman might supply to Liverpool – and maybe why there are reviews of real curiosity heading into the summer season.
Salah’s succession plan
Whereas it’s fortunately not an instantaneous subject, Slot will nonetheless be taking a long-term view with regards to Salah’s position in his facet.
The Egyptian has dedicated two extra years to the membership and stands to stay a key a part of Liverpool’s attacking setup as probably the most potent proper ahead in world soccer.
However turning 33 in June the truth is that, at occasions, his minutes will should be managed – and with a mid-season Africa Cup of Nations developing, there might be a protracted stretch the place he’s unavailable altogether, with Salah projected to overlook as many as 10 video games.
That might be the place Frimpong is available in, extra so than a direct rival to Bradley for the right-back spot.
He will not be as prolific a goalscorer as Salah, or as dependable a creator, however Liverpool’s recruitment workers will search assurances from their knowledge scientists that he’s on that trajectory.
With there no religion in Federico Chiesa as competitors for Salah and affords inspired for Ben Doak, it stands to cause {that a} new right-sided attacker will probably be sought this summer season.
Frimpong not solely affords that but additionally cowl for Bradley as a extra attacking right-back, with Slot having already made it clear he and sporting director Richard Hughes will favour versatility when figuring out new signings.
There may be additionally the sizeable bonus that he qualifies as a homegrown participant in each the Premier League and Champions League owing to his growth at Man Metropolis, the place he spent 9 years earlier than becoming a member of Celtic as an 18-year-old in 2019.
So whereas at face worth bringing Frimpong in as a substitute for Alexander-Arnold could also be seen as inflicting Liverpool extra issues than it solves, a cope with Leverkusen would really tick quite a lot of containers.
Signing a lightning-fast right-sider with confirmed expertise within the Bundesliga and the Champions League, who continues to be solely 24, has a powerful rapport with many gamers already within the squad and has already settled within the northwest of England makes absolute sense.
Slightly than be painted as a chance, bringing Frimpong in for £30 million might show a stroke of calculated genius.
