‘On the phone a lot’: €40m Leverkusen player already in talks with Arne Slot | OneFootball

Jeremie Frimpong has been speaking to Arne Slot on the phone ‘a lot’ in February.

The Bayer Leverkusen wing-back is understood to be a person of interest for Liverpool ahead of the summer transfer window.

The intrigue is understandable, of course, given that there’s every possibility vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold could depart the club amid heavy links to Real Madrid.

It’s worth noting, for those still unaware, that the No.66’s contract is due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season. However, the Merseysiders do remain in talks with the fullback in the hope of convincing him to prolong his Anfield stay.

Could Jeremie Frimpong replace Trent Alexander-Arnold?

(Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)

Slot most certainly admires the Bundesliga defender, judging by the pair’s recent activity.

Christian Falk also noted that the Dutch head coach’s interest is hardly fresh; the 46-year-old wanted Frimpong signed in the prior summer window.

“Jeremie Frimpong and Arne Slot were on the phone a lot last month. Both are Dutch, and Slot wanted to sign him in the summer,” the head of football at the BILD Group told CaughtOffside in his exclusive Fact Files column.

“The Liverpool head coach had been telling the fullback he was still keen to get him. However, he’s very upfront and honest, so Frimpong is aware that, at the moment, a striker and a defender are the main targets for Liverpool who aren’t going to get any fees in for Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah or Trent Alexander-Arnold should all three leave at the end of their contracts this summer.

“So, he knows that he’s No.3 on the to-do list for Arne Slot, but if the club can manage to sign both a striker and a defender – he will be the next target. His release clause is nearly €40m, so it’s a lot of money!”

It shouldn’t go unnoticed, of course, that the Dutch international does conduct himself quite differently to Alexander-Arnold on the right flank.

Whilst Trent will offer overlapping runs down the right flank – and come inside the middle of the pitch – to showcase his world-class passing range, his Leverkusen counterpart operates somewhat differently.

Jeremie Frimpong’s qualities will often see him trying to use his speed and acceleration to take on a man and attack the opponent’s 18-yard box. Liverpool’s right-back is far more cautious in that regard, which raises questions about Frimpong’s viability as an Alexander-Arnold replacement.

Liverpool must bear in mind financial limitations

Whilst the Bundesliga wing-back’s near-€40m [£33.5m] release clause appears a mere drop in the ocean, Liverpool’s financial picture isn’t quite as rosy as some may imagine.

As James Pearce has already pointed out, potential contract extensions for the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah would limit the available money in the pot for transfers.

The Merseysiders are, additionally, already sitting on one of the most sizeable wage bills in the Premier League.

That’s without also accounting for the fact the club posted pre-tax losses owing in no small part to their absence from the Champions League in 2023/24.

Liverpool will engage with the upcoming summer transfer window, but they may need to be selective about their business. This could very well mean that Jeremie Frimpong doesn’t get his move to L4 as a .