Jeremie Frimpong joins Liverpool as cut-price deal agreed | OneFootball

Jeremie Frimpong will join Liverpool when the transfer window opens on Sunday after they triggered his £29.5m release clause with Bayer Leverkusen and agreed personal terms with the right-back.

The Netherlands international, who has signed a five-year contract, arrives as Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves for Real Madrid, with Liverpool banking €10m to allow their vice-captain to move early and line up in the Club World Cup.

But while Frimpong is likely to take the Merseysider’s place in the back four, Liverpool view the versatile 24-year-old as an option for any position on the right flank, rather than simply a like-for-like replacement.

Frimpong is not considered to be a direct replacement for Alexander-Arnold (Getty Images)

Liverpool will pay for Frimpong in three separate annual instalments after negotiating with Leverkusen, with whom they are also in talks for Florian Wirtz after making an offer rising to €130m for the Germany international.

Frimpong, who qualifies as a homegrown player in the Premier League after growing up in England and coming through Manchester City’s youth system, has been on Liverpool’s radar for around 15 years after they almost signed him for their academy.

They have instead belatedly got their man for a cut-price fee, thanks to Frimpong’s release clause.

“It went quite easy. Liverpool came and said they had interest, and obviously for me it was a no-brainer,” Frimpong told Liverpool’s website. “For me, it was like, ‘Whatever you guys do, just get this done’, [speaking to] my agents: ‘Just get this done.’

“Liverpool fans, I’m going to give my all, my energy, my work-rate and hopefully we can win together, we celebrate together, get everything together.

“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.”

Frimpong scored 28 goals in his last three seasons at Leverkusen, helping when win an unbeaten double in Germany last season and twice being named in the Bundesliga team of the season.

Frimpong often played as a wing-back for Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen and Liverpool also see him as an alternative on the right wing, with Mohamed Salah expected to be away for several weeks of next season at the African Cup of Nations.

Frimong said he had spoken to Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and had heard positive reports of the Dutch coach from his Netherlands team-mates.

“I spoke to the manager a few times,” Frimpong said. “He sounds very positive. He says I can bring a lot of energy and my qualities, my speed.

“Especially when a manager is talking positively about you, it gives you very good confidence that he believes in you. I’ve had good conversations with him.

“I’m really excited [to work with him]. Even when I was at national team, some of the Feyenoord boys would tell me about him and be like, ‘He’s the best coach I’ve ever had.’ Things like this. So, I’ve always heard good things about the coach. Now he’s going to be my coach, so I’m excited for that.”

Frimpong’s arrival with begin a busy summer of signings for Liverpool, with Wirtz potentially joining for a club record fee.