Liverpool have officially announced the signing of Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, after triggering a release clause worth £29.5 million.
Frimpong underwent his medical in the UK earlier in the month, after quickly agreeing personal terms on a five-year contract at Liverpool.
With all the documentation complete and payment made to Leverkusen – a release clause worth €35 million (£29.5m) paid in three instalments over three years – the Dutchman has now completed his transfer.
Liverpool confirmed the news in an announcement via their official channels, with Frimpong becoming the first signing in what is expected to be a busy summer.
The Reds’ pursuit of the 24-year-old is reported to have begun around the time of the 4-0 win over Leverkusen in the Champions League in November, including contact with his agent Dirk Hebel.
On the announcement of the deal, Frimpong said: “I’m just excited to be here. Thank you guys for accepting me and I won’t let you guys down and I’ll give you the energy that you guys want.”
Having gained confidence in both the player’s quality and character, Liverpool pushed forward with a deal after it became clear Trent Alexander-Arnold would leave.
Frimpong may not arrive as a direct replacement for Alexander-Arnold, with Conor Bradley‘s new contract intended to reflect his status as first-choice right-back, but Arne Slot can consider him competition for both Bradley and Mohamed Salah.
He joins Liverpool with top-level pedigree, having played 190 times over five seasons at Leverkusen, winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in 2023/24 and making 15 appearances in the Champions League.
As a regular with the Netherlands national team he is already close with new teammates Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.
Formerly part of Man City‘s academy, Frimpong qualifies as both a homegrown player in the Premier League and association-trained in the Champions League, while he is already fluent in English and comfortable living in the northwest.
He will bring blistering pace and genuine end product in the final third, with 30 goals and 44 assists for Leverkusen at an average of a goal involvement every 183 minutes.
That is an excellent return for a right-back – albeit with Frimpong a more attacking wing-back – with Alexander-Arnold averaging a goal or assist every 244.6 minutes in his time at Liverpool.
Jeremie Frimpong’s strengths and weaknesses
Jack Lusby:
There is every chance Liverpool have bought the Netherlands international as an all-round right-sider with an appreciation for what he already offers, not what he lacks.
While reports around Liverpool’s interest in Frimpong cast him as a right-back, his last season playing that role consistently was in 2021/22 and he was certainly not at the level he is currently operating at back then.
He can more accurately be described as a right-sided attacker who can fill in at right-back if needed – and his output of 25 goals and 33 assists in his first 130 games under Alonso shows how effective he can be with that remit.
Per FBref, Frimpong is in the fourth percentile among full-backs across Europe when it comes tackles (1.08 per 90) and the third percentile for interceptions (0.37).
By comparison, Alexander-Arnold is in the 81st percentile for tackles (2.61) and the 80th percentile for interceptions (1.22) – the ‘Trent can’t defend’ brigade would have a field day if they watched Leverkusen’s No. 30.
What Frimpong does offer, however, is an elite level of output going forward: in the 99th percentile for both touches in the opponent’s penalty area (4.93) and progressive passes received (10.65), and the 98th percentile for progressive carries (4.13).
He is in the 97th percentile among full-backs for non-penalty expected goals and expected assists combined (0.35 per 90), which is even more than Alexander-Arnold (0.33).
