Bayer Leverkusen have lost their footing among European elites since their famed days in the early 2000s. Under new manager Xabi Alonso they have somewhat gained a unique identity and the future looks bright.
The superb duo of Moussa Diaby (who has now left for Aston Villa) and Florian Wirtz have earned much of the praise for this attacking efficiency, yet it is another U23 talent whose impressive feats are going all but unnoticed on the continent.
Jeremie Frimpong who played with Jadon Sancho at youth level for Manchester City and won a domestic treble with Celtic is stamping his authority at Leverkusen. Netherlands-born but with Ghanaian roots on his maternal side, Frimpong has actually spent over half his life in Great Britain.
He joined Celtic back in September 2019 on a 4-year deal. His breakthrough season saw him get his first taste of winning trophies as part of the treble-winning team in 2019/20 season and he also won the club’s YPOTY award. In 2021 he joined his current club Bayer Leverkusen for a fee in the region of 11 million pounds.
Manchester United have made Jeremie Frimpong their priority signing for this summer
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How good is Jeremie Frimpong?
Jeremie Frimpong is a 21-year-old right-back who currently plays in Germany with Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen. The youngster joined the German club from Celtic in 2021 and has become an established starter in the Bundesliga. He is having an outstanding season with Leverkusen, scoring 5 goals and 4 assists.
Raw speed is one thing, but it’s Frimpong’s ability to turn such talent into true ball progression that separates him from other rapid young fullbacks. The Dutch under-21 international isn’t shy of beating an opponent or driving possession up the pitch.
The Dutch youth international is developing into one of the country’s most promising fullbacks, and if he can become more reliable in his attacking output and defensive presence, one can imagine Frimpong earning a call-up to Louis van Gaal’s squad very soon!
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Jeremie Frimpong stats
He is one of the strongest runners in the Bundesliga. His total number of sprints this season is 210, which is ranked 3rd in the league. His maximum speed is currently 35.77 km/hour, making him the 4th most rapid player in the league. Frimpong has scored 2 braces already this season, in wins over Mainz and Schalke in the Bundesliga.
Frimpong is an extremely good ball carrier and has averaged 9.57 progressive carries per 90 in the Bundesliga so far this season which is absurdly good – it ranks him as one of the very best ball-carrying right-backs in Europe. He’s also completed 2.4 dribbles per 90 so far in the Bundesliga with a 58% success rate and that is very impressive. His extreme pace and skillfulness makes it very hard for defenders to deal with him which means he also wins a lot of fouls in attacking areas. The Dutchman has also averaged just over 3 shot-creating actions per 90 so far this season in the Bundesliga. In addition to that, he’s also created 10 chances.
At least Neymar gets to attend his sister's b'day 🤪
But he is cursed for sure 🤕#Neymar #PSG #Paris pic.twitter.com/aQWv3OERi5
— FootTheBall FC (@FootTheBallFC) February 21, 2023
Jeremie Frimpong scout report
Frimpong is mostly used as a right-back but the player can play in an advanced role as well. The Dutch player got his World Cup call-up after an impressive outing for the club, but failed to make an appearance for his country in the tournament.
In possession, Frimpong tends to stick to the touchline in an event where he gets the chance to whip a ball in. His pace is enough for him to beat any man even when hugging the touchline, which also helps him track back. He doesn’t shirk his defensive duties, though, his acceleration is the fuel for some rocket-propelled recovery challenges.
One real improvement that has been seen this season is his goal return, at the time of writing this he has 5 goals in the Bundesliga which is more than he’s scored in any of his previous seasons at Leverkusen or Celtic. He never seemed to quite time the run into the back post particularly well, so a lot of good opportunities for him to get easy goals were left on the table, but this season has seen him score more of those nice simple tap-ins because he’s getting into the back post more often and the timing has also improved.
Jeremie Frimpong transfer news
As good as Diogo Dalot has been for Manchester United so far this season, the club do still need to sign a right-back to give Dalot competition and add depth to the squad. According to reports, Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong is on United’s radar.
Chelsea and Manchester United showed interest in the Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong. Although with The Blues signing Malo Gusto, the path looks clear for the Red Devils. The Netherlands player has been immense with his club in recent months and that has garnered interest from the Premier League giants. Real Madrid are reported to be keen on the player as well.
Frimpong is an extremely exciting player but there are frailties in his game. His attacking attributes are outstanding but there are obviously questions over the defensive side of his game. However, with the right coaching, which Ten Hag can offer, he could definitely improve his weaknesses. The Dutchman is a very exciting talent who could develop into a top-class player.