Jeremie Frimpong is now anticipated to affix Liverpool within the close to future with the membership set to set off his launch clause, ending a pursuit which started months in the past.
Frimpong will turn into a Liverpool participant this summer time with plans in place to fulfill the £30 million launch clause in his contract at Bayer Leverkusen.
The proper-sider is because of arrive as Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves, with Arne Slot resolved so as to add one other choice to his squad regardless of religion in Conor Bradley at right-back.
It’s a deal that has come as a shock to many, significantly because it was broadly reported that Liverpool would prioritise a brand new signing at left-back heading into the switch window.
However Liverpool made clear their designs on Frimpong six months in the past, in keeping with the Mail‘s Lewis Steele, which correlates with a go to from his agent to Anfield.
Picture journalist Christian Falk reported final yr that the participant’s consultant Dirk Hebel was “within the director’s field” for Liverpool’s conflict with Bayer Leverkusen within the Champions League in November.
Frimpong discovered the again of the online in that sport however noticed his objective dominated out for a marginal offside, having left Kostas Tsimikas trailing along with his blistering tempo earlier than firing into the highest nook.
Falk famous on the time that “the membership and the participant’s entourage are speaking” and that’s now bearing fruit with The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reporting that agreeing private phrases is “not a difficulty.”
Curiously, Leverkusen’s journey to Merseyside additionally noticed Xabi Alonso’s squad practice on the out of doors pitches on the AXA Coaching Centre the day after their 4-0 loss at Anfield.
? AXA Coaching Centre Liverpool
Good morning from the coaching floor. The #Werkelf the coaching session accomplished at this time on the location of the @LFCEarlier than going again to Leverkusen! ?
? #LIVB04 | #UCL | #Bayer04 pic.twitter.com/0SYYGGZCeM
– Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) November 6, 2024
Frimpong was among the many gamers pictured heading out for a session on the coaching floor in Kirkby, together with one other of the membership’s summer time targets, Florian Wirtz.
Whereas on the time it was seen as a easy gesture, gratefully obtained by a head coach with shut ties to the membership, however it’s attainable that Liverpool had an ulterior motive.
Workers may have been capable of watch intently as each Frimpong and Wirtz have been put via their paces, with it usually famous that extra will be discovered about gamers in coaching than throughout the video games themselves.
• READ: Florian Wirtz: Why Liverpool may see £126m switch as a game-changer
It might not be the primary time this present Liverpool setup have employed covert ways to be taught extra about these on their radar.
Michael Edwards spent days anonymously observing one coach in a resort earlier than ruling him out as a attainable successor to Brendan Rodgers in 2015, with an analogous tactic seeing Jurgen Klopp impress him.
And Slot himself lately revealed his principle behind a visit from Julian Ward to Rotterdam when he was nonetheless in control of Feyenoord.
“He known as me, I believe a month earlier than Richard (Hughes) known as me, and mentioned, ‘I’m going round Europe and I’m curious about how sure golf equipment work — can I come to your home as nicely?’,” Slot advised Sky Sports activities earlier this month.
“He was there for one or two days and he wasn’t there only for that! He wished to know the way I work and to listen to from the workers how the cooperation was and the way we labored collectively.
“Once more, an instance of what all of them do to seek out the very best participant or supervisor.”
Liverpool are more likely to make Frimpong their first signing of the summer time quickly after the Bundesliga season finishes on Saturday – and little doubt the Anfield VIP remedy and invites to the AXA may have performed an enormous half.
