Liverpool are speculated to be looking forward to the January transfer window, as the Reds prepare to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have started the Premier League season impressively, losing only one of their opening 12 games to place the Merseyside giants just one point from the summit.
The extent of Liverpool’s transfer market activity in the summer didn’t span outside of rebuilding the midfield, with four central midfielders hired as part of the revamp to cover the departures following the 2022/23 calendar.
Now that the reconstruction of the engine room is complete, Klopp is rumoured to be eyeing defensive reinforcements to bolster the back line at Anfield, with a number of star talents already rumoured to be of interest on Merseyside.
Liverpool transfer targets – defenders
One player who is rumoured to be strongly admired by Liverpool is Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio who, according to reports in Spain, is also being eyed by Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The report claims that Klopp is ‘demanding’ the club to sign a ‘top-level centre-back’, and with a €60m (£52m) release clause, the 22-year-old is said to be one of those liked by the Premier League outfit.
Another player that the Reds could challenge Los Blancos for is Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong, who has a market value of €60m (£52m), via CIES Football Observatory.
As reported in Spain, Madrid are admirers of the 22-year-old but face a battle to claim his signature due to the interest of both Liverpool and Chelsea.
The right-back has been in searing form in Germany, making Liverpool’s interest an exciting prospect, with the player having a host of attributes to offer to Klopp’s side.
Jeremie Frimpong’s playing style
Named in The Athletic’s extensive list of ‘50 exciting players under 25’, Frimpong was described in the column as a ‘precocious wing-back who loves to attack’, which sums up his approach to play almost entirely.
Deployed as a right-back, the 22-year-old is more often found occupying the right wing in Leverkusen’s attacking formation, with his eye for progressive play one of his best assets, having already contributed to nine goals in 11 Bundesliga appearances in 2023/24.
In a scouting report, talent scout Jacek Kulig gave a nod to the Dutchman’s 'raw speed' but gave his recognition to the defender’s ability to 'turn such talent into true ball progression', a skill that Kulig claims 'separates him from other rapid young full backs'.
Recording a top speed of 35.96 km/h, the 2000-born dynamo ranks as the fifth-fastest player in the German top-flight, with his 392 sprints topping the charts in the league, as per the Bundesliga website.
Aside from his searing pace, Frimpong’s reading of the game and desire to progress forward sees him a difficult player to both defend against and overcome.
U23 scout Antonio Mango described the player’s playing style as that of a “modern-day fullback” for his flexibility between defence and attack, lauding him as “very accomplished on the ball” and “technically very good”.
Mango praised the former Celtic man as having “breathtaking” acceleration, touching upon his knowledge of the game and the tasks expected from an advancing wing-back.
Why Jeremie Frimpong would be a good signing for Liverpool
There are a host of reasons why Frimpong would be a strong arrival at Anfield, with his experience of the English game being one of his favourable factors.
A product of Manchester City’s academy, the Amsterdam-born star left the Etihad in 2019 when playing at youth level, with his game moulded and nurtured to the expectations and physicality of the Premier League in mind.
Liverpool benefit heavily from the attacking involvement of their full-backs, with Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold some of the finest at their craft in the Premier League, with Frimpong possessing identical attributes.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Jeremie Frimpong
1.67
5.06
1.23
2.35
1.06
5.20
0.03
0.22
2.17
1.74
0.62
0.50
2.82
1.47
In Alexander-Arnold, the Reds have a highly competent right-back already, an academy graduate who has made the right side of defence his own since his promotion to the first team.
Klopp often views the Englishman as being well-equipped to play the inverted full-back role, which works well for Liverpool due to the 25-year-old’s ability to tuck into central areas to showcase his magnificent ball-playing ability.
As highlighted in the table above, Frimpong tops the England international in a range of progressive attributes, suggesting that he could be the ideal candidate to replace him without the need to ditch Alexander-Arnold from the XI.
How Liverpool could line up with Jeremie Frimpong
At international level, the Champions League winner plays in central midfield under Gareth Southgate, handing him the room to show his playmaking artistry without having to adhere to his defensive duties.
Like Southgate, Klopp could benefit from moving his versatile defender into a more central role to increase his, and Liverpool’s, chances in the final third, as suggested by the table below.
Euro Qualifiers – England
Premier League – Liverpool
1.0
0.2
1.5
1.9
89%
81%
1.8
0.9
7.45
7.02
As portrayed in the table, the 25-year-old is able to show off his strengths in the final third, posing as a prized creative asset for England, in a way that could be transferable at Anfield if a player such as Frimpong is acquired.
The Dutchman’s potential arrival could see him act as a clone of Alexander-Arnold’s presence on the right side, while simultaneously opening the door to prompt the Reds to exploit their academy graduate’s strengths in midfield.
It’s arguable that the reason the Englishman is rarely deployed in central midfield at Liverpool is due to their lack of cover at right-back if he were to drift in, with Frimpong posing as the glue to hold the plans together to integrate Trent more centrally.
In signing the 22-year-old, Klopp could be handed a double boost, in having a highly-qualified wing-back as well as handing a much-needed playmaker to the engine room to bolster his side in a range of areas.
