Frimpong's collapse after Leverkusen's double: Liverpool sidelines him

The 25‑year‑old full‑back Jeremie Frimpong, who won the double of league title and DFB‑Pokal with Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 2023/24, has been on the bench since his summer‑2025 move to FC Liverpool – both at club level and in the Dutch national team.

Transfer and high expectations

In the summer of 2025 Frimpong moved to the Reds for €40 million after Arne Slot had lured him as a dream signing to Anfield Road. The transfer was meant to secure him a regular spot in the right side of the back four, but persistent thigh problems prevented the breakthrough.

Injury‑related absences and low appearance numbers

In the first 16 Premier League matchdays Frimpong missed ten games due to injuries. By the turn of the year he had made only 11 appearances in 27 league matches, scoring one goal and providing one assist. In his first season he recorded a total of two goals and two assists in 35 appearances.

Exclusion from the national team and criticism

New England coach Xavi Hernandez dropped the right‑back from the Nations League squad list for the match against Serbia on Sunday evening. Frimpong had already not featured in the 1‑1 draw against Germany and sat on the bench for the full 90 minutes.

Don Hutchison, former Liverpool professional, criticised Frimpong’s lack of ball control in October after an EFL Cup match against Southampton: “He just kept giving the ball away. Simple passes went somewhere and his confidence is waning.” He advised manager Slot to start Conor Bradley, because Frimpong was not close to the starting eleven.

Danny Murphy, former English international, stated that Liverpool’s full‑backs, including Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, were not good enough for the club’s standards. He criticised weak crosses and poor decision‑making in the final third of the pitch.

Under new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, newcomer Ronald Araujo, a centre‑back, was preferred. While Frimpong conceded six goals in four starts, Liverpool kept a clean sheet in the first three games with Araujo.