“It’s like he has three lungs” – Ex-Liverpool striker tells Reds fans what to expect from Frimpong | OneFootball

Liverpool fans will be hoping that Jeremie Frimpong is the first of several signings during the summer, rather than being an isolated headstart in a quiet transfer window at Anfield.

The Netherlands international joined from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of May in a £29.5m deal, offering the Reds an instant right-back replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, although it’s reliably projected that he won’t merely be a clone of our former vice-captain.

Another Dutchman who knows what it’s like to represent both of the aforementioned clubs has now provided Kopites with an informed preview of what they can expect from the 24-year-old.

Meijer on what Liverpool fans can expect from Frimpong

Erik Meijer – who joined Liverpool from the Bundesliga side in 1999 – spoke to the Liverpool Echo about Frimpong, who he’s watched regularly in his role as a pundit for German media.

The former Reds striker detailed: “We’ll see what we have seen from him in the last couple of seasons. That’s his speed, his ability of going one-on-one. If [Mo] Salah goes to the inside to use his left foot, he gives space to Frimpong to overrun him.

“Defensively, maybe he is a little bit weaker [than Alexander-Arnold], but he covers it up with his offensive speed and his awareness, and he’s also willing to run. It’s like he has three lungs.”

(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Frimpong was often deployed as a marauding wing-back at Leverkusen as Xabi Alonso opted for a three-man central defence, but Meijer doesn’t envisage the 24-year-old having any difficulty with operating in Arne Slot’s preferred 4-2-3-1 setup.

The ex-Liverpool striker said: “Leverkusen also swapped the system. In some games they played with four at the back and he was the one on the right side, so for him it’s not a problem. He played both systems.”

“That’s a big bonus for Frimpong because he can play both positions, so more to the back or more offensively and that’s the same what (Xabi) Alonso did with him. Sometimes he played in the back four and sometimes he just played the offensive, more offensive role.”

Frimpong should give Slot some additional tactical scope

Frimpong’s pace is evident from Bundesliga statistics which logged him as making the second-most sprints in the German top flight last season (1,021) and clocking the seventh-fasted maximum speed (36.34km per hour).

Figures from FBref also back up Meijer’s assertions about the 24-year-old’s ability in one-on-ones…and his defensive shortcomings. The Dutchman has averaged 0.9 successful take-ons per game in the past year, but he also ranks among the bottom 5% of full-backs in Europe’s five main leagues for metrics such as tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

However, with Conor Bradley now a fully fledged first-team option, and the Reds’ new signing capable of playing as a right-sided attacker (as he did in Netherlands’ win over Finland on Saturday), that affords Slot a tactical flexibility that he didn’t have with Alexander-Arnold, while also potentially facilitating Salah’s game-time to be managed more carefully next term.

Frimpong’s ability to play as a winger could come in especially useful when the Egyptian is away at the Africa Cup of Nations over the festive period, particularly if the exit-linked Federico Chiesa were to leave Liverpool over the summer.

We’re obviously keeping our fingers crossed for further signings between now and the end of August, but at least we can definitely look forward to the exciting aptitudes that the Dutchman can offer at Anfield in the coming years!