Jeremie Frimpong might have been left pondering his fortunes as he watched Liverpool teammates Ryan Gravenberch and Virgil van Dijk combine to score for the Netherlands at the World Cup on Sunday evening. The Oranje drew 2-2 with Japan in Dallas, with Cody Gakpo also featuring, but Frimpong was the odd man out from Liverpool's Dutch quartet, omitted by Ronald Koeman after a difficult first season at Anfield plagued by muscle injuries.
Injury Woes
Frimpong arrived with a pristine injury record, but suffered a setback on his debut that sidelined him for a month. A second muscle complaint in October saw him last just 19 minutes of a win over Eintracht Frankfurt, keeping him out until Christmas. Another injury, only four minutes into a 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag in the Champions League, forced him off. In total, he spent 127 days injured last season, nearly double his previous career total of 65 days, according to Transfermarkt.
Unable to make an impact when fit and often played out of position, Frimpong's campaign was underwhelming. Dutch legend Jaap Stam told ComeOn: "I think Liverpool fans can expect more from Jeremie Frimpong. The most important thing is for him to stay fit. The intensity of the Premier League and the club's high expectations add stress, making adaptation harder. He needs time to adjust. Jeremie is a great player with pace, but defensively he needs to take the next step and read the game better."
Style Under Iraola
New boss Andoni Iraola's aggressive, frenetic style could unlock Frimpong's pace and footwork. If Liverpool play high up the pitch, his recovery speed as a right-sided full-back could be valuable. However, former Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson remains cautious. "Everyone talked about Frimpong being better offensively, but I don't see enough to say he can be a right-winger either," Johnson told the ECHO. "He doesn't beat anybody. He's technically good and quick, but I haven't seen him blitz past anyone. So, there are big question marks if he's a right-back or right-wing."
Pre-Season Opportunity
Missing the World Cup will sting, but it means Frimpong will be among senior stars on Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States next month. A full programme under Iraola offers a chance to start fresh. Johnson added: "No player who signs for Liverpool is happy missing a World Cup. If you're good enough for Liverpool, you should be good enough for your national team. That will have been a big blow, but hopefully he shows character, has a good pre-season, and shows what he can do next season."
Frimpong shone under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, winning the Bundesliga in 2023. Iraola will hope to harness that talent. The jury remains out, but the potential is there.
