Liverpool's Frimpong Verdict: Squad Depth Option, Not Long-Term Solution at Right-Back

Liverpool's summer acquisition of Jeremie Frimpong has failed to deliver the consistency the Reds hoped for, and according to reports, the club's hierarchy have quietly concluded the former Bayer Leverkusen winger-back will not be developed into a reliable first-team option.

The 29.5 million pound signing, who arrived after Liverpool triggered his release clause last summer, endured a frustrating debut campaign at Anfield. Injuries disrupted his early months, while fitness alone proved insufficient to secure him regular minutes once available.

The fundamental issue runs deeper than mere bad luck. Frimpong lacks the defensive discipline required to operate as a conventional right-back in England's top flight, yet he remains too attacking-minded to function as a natural wide forward. Finding his niche in Jurgen Klopp's system has proven a square-peg problem.

Liverpool's right-flank crisis intensified dramatically during the 2025-26 season following Trent Alexander-Arnold's free transfer to Real Madrid. The club shuffled through Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Joe Gomez attempting to plug the gap—a patchwork solution that satisfied nobody. When Bradley suffered a serious knee injury in January, the vulnerability became impossible to ignore.

The club's response is now clear: they're treating Frimpong as precisely what he was always intended to be—a rotational piece who can operate across multiple positions rather than a cornerstone defender. Should Bradley experience complications during his recovery, there's no expectation Frimpong will step up as his long-term replacement.

This explains Liverpool's determined push into the transfer market for a dedicated right-back, particularly their pursuit of Denzel Dumfries. Senior figures at Anfield believe they've learned harsh lessons from this season's defensive chaos and are determined to avoid repeating the experience.

The club's approach to Bradley's rehabilitation underscores this philosophy. Rather than rushing their young talent back, Liverpool intend to exercise patience, with a return to training pencilled in shortly after the new campaign begins. That measured strategy, however, still leaves the club without an obvious homegrown alternative should circumstances demand it.

Frimpong's role, then, is likely to remain one of selective deployment—a useful squad option capable of offering something different across the back line, but never the dependable figure Liverpool ultimately need anchoring their right-hand defence week after week.