Liverpool have wasted no time replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold after confirming the England international’s high-profile move to Real Madrid this summer. The club swiftly activated Jeremie Frimpong’s €35 million release clause at Bayer Leverkusen, bringing the Dutchman to Anfield as one of Arne Slot’s first major signings.
Frimpong, 24, arrives with an impressive attacking pedigree. Under Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen, he thrived as a wing-back, racking up 26 goal contributions in 47 games during a historic unbeaten Bundesliga campaign. While not a direct stylistic match to Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong offers dynamic attacking qualities through pace, dribbling, and advanced positioning.
Frimpong began his career in England, developing at Manchester City’s academy before gaining first-team experience at Celtic. He quickly impressed in Scotland, earning the club’s Young Player of the Year and helping secure a domestic treble. His transition to the Bundesliga in 2021 marked the next step in his evolution, culminating in a breakout under Alonso’s tactical reshaping of Leverkusen.
Unlike Alexander-Arnold, known for his vision, deep playmaking, and set-piece precision, Frimpong’s contributions come higher up the pitch. He prefers taking on defenders in wide areas and delivering cutbacks and low crosses from advanced zones. His style will likely require tactical adjustments, especially on the right side where Mohamed Salah also operates.
Slot may need to tweak his setup to accommodate Frimpong’s high positioning, possibly shifting Salah centrally or adapting the midfield shape to support defensive transitions. Concerns have been raised about Frimpong’s defensive attributes, but Liverpool’s existing system already masks defensive vulnerabilities in that role — a blueprint that could benefit the new signing.
Beyond right-back, Liverpool are expected to target several other positions. With Andy Robertson facing more competition, Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth is a name on the radar for left-back. At centre-back, Dean Huijsen has emerged as a £50m option to reinforce behind Van Dijk and Konate. Up front, Darwin Nunez’s inconsistent form may see the club pursue Hugo Ekitike, with talks reportedly underway.
Replacing a player like Alexander-Arnold is a major challenge, but Frimpong’s versatility, youth, and explosive attacking play make him a smart, forward-thinking acquisition. Liverpool fans can expect a fresh dynamic on the right flank as the Arne Slot era gets underway.