Report: £30m right-back targeted as Liverpool prepare for key departure | OneFootball

Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool: Calculated Succession or Premature Evolution?

Right-Sided Reinvention at Anfield?

There is a compelling intensity around Jeremie Frimpong’s reported £30 million move to Liverpool. The Dutchman, flourishing under Xabi Alonso’s innovative system at Bayer Leverkusen, appears set for a seismic switch to Anfield. Defensa Central suggests the deal is all but done — a strategic move from Liverpool with an eye on the looming departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

If Frimpong does arrive, it will be as more than just cover. The implication is clear: he could replace Trent, who is now being heavily pursued by Real Madrid. With his contract expiring this summer.

Frimpong’s Numbers Back the Hype

There’s substance behind the headlines. Since joining Leverkusen, Frimpong has developed into a dynamic right-sided force — aggressive, industrious, and creative. Across 123 matches, he’s produced an eye-catching 25 goals and 29 assists. For a player notionally deployed as a defender, those numbers tilt the scale from solid to spectacular.

Much of this output comes from Alonso’s trust in his verticality. Frimpong is no orthodox right-back; he’s more of a high-flying wing-back or even an auxiliary winger. That offensive nature is crucial if Liverpool are to preserve the creative spine Alexander-Arnold brought from deep.

Internal Promotion or External Investment?

Still, there is a nagging sense of unease. Conor Bradley’s performances this season have raised eyebrows in all the right ways. Composed in possession and strong defensively, the young Northern Irishman represents a clear, cost-effective in-house option.

Photo: IMAGO

But Liverpool’s system isn’t only about structure — it’s about rhythm. And rhythm, under Arne Slot’s likely tactical approach, may depend on having a right-back with attacking drive baked into his game. Frimpong fits the profile.

A Big Call Awaits Alexander-Arnold

All of this is, of course, underpinned by Trent’s own future. The boy from West Derby remains a talismanic figure at Liverpool. But football has a ruthless way of reframing legacy — especially when contract clocks are ticking.

Should he choose to leave, few would begrudge him the opportunity to join Real Madrid, a club that hoards galácticos and trophies with equal ease. But for Liverpool, his departure would signal more than the loss of a full-back. It would mark the end of an era defined by invention and positional redefinition.

Frimpong may well be the answer. But the question itself is daunting: how do you replace a once-in-a-generation player without disrupting the very pulse of your team?

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

There’s no easy way to say goodbye to someone like Trent. He is Liverpool, not just in heart but in how we’ve played during our most successful modern spell. So hearing he’s “closing in” on a move to Real Madrid hurts. Deeply.

But if he’s truly set on leaving, then a move for someone like Jeremie Frimpong makes sense — at least on paper. He’s got end product, electric pace, and thrives in systems that demand high intensity. Under Arne Slot, that kind of player might not just fit — he might flourish.

That said, £30 million isn’t nothing, and with Conor Bradley emerging as a real talent, you wonder if we’re jumping the gun. Still, football moves fast. And if we’re to stay at the top table, proactive decisions are a must.

If Frimpong is indeed “on the verge,” then Liverpool are acting early — and decisively. Whether it’s enough to soften the blow of losing Trent remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: this summer’s right-back saga might end up defining the Slot era before it even begins.