Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has revealed that Jeremie Frimpong was signed partly to replace Mohamed Salah during the Africa Cup of Nations. The Reds secured the Dutch utility man for £29 million from Bayer Leverkusen following the departure of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Slot highlighted Frimpong's versatility, stating he can play both as a right-back and as a right winger. This flexibility will be crucial when Egypt star Salah heads to Morocco for the AFCON, which runs from December 21 to January 18, potentially missing up to six Premier League games.
“We definitely thought about that and brought in Jeremie Frimpong because he can play as a right-back but also as a right winger,” Slot said. “We thought about how we can miss Mo for a maximum six games, that’s quite a lot. Signing Jeremie Frimpong was for multiple reasons but one was that he could replace Mo if he was not there.”
Liverpool have spent heavily this summer, with almost £300 million on transfers, though £150 million was recouped from sales. Meanwhile, teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha has impressed in pre-season, with excitement building ahead of this weekend’s Community Shield.
Slot also commented on the development of young players like Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, noting the importance of learning from experienced stars such as Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. “They have an incredible chance to work and be around players like Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah and all these incredible players every day,” he added.
