How Liverpool almost signed a very young Jeremie Frimpong | OneFootball

Liverpool are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Jeremie Frimpong, but the Bayer Leverkusen star could have joined the club as a young child.

The 24-year-old has emerged as arguably the best wing-back in world football thanks to his impressive displays in Germany, dazzling spectators with his attacking play out wide.

Frimpong was one of the key players in Leverkusen‘s incredible 2023/24 campaign, going undefeated while winning the Bundesliga and German Cup double and reaching the Europa League final, which they lost to Atalanta.

Before playing his part in that history-making team, though, the Netherlands international’s story actually starts in England.

How Liverpool almost signed a very young Jeremie Frimpong

Frimpong was born in Amsterdam, but considers himself a Mancunian. His family moved to Manchester when he was very young and he even speaks with an English accent to this day.

At grassroots level he played for two local teams, AFC Clayton and Clayton Villa, and would regularly go from one match to another. In those days he played up front as a striker, scoring a hat-trick in a cup final for AFC Clayton.

Scouts from clubs such as Bolton Wanderers, Liverpool and Manchester City were present at the game, and Frimpong naturally caught the eye.

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With offers on the table from several academies, Frimpong initially decided to join Liverpool. However, he changed his mind, picking Man City instead as it was more convenient.

“I chose Liverpool first,” he told Rising Ballers earlier this year. “I was going to sign for them, but back then, driving wasn’t a thing. My family wasn’t driving and it was far.

“Man City was local, so it made more sense. It was 15 minutes on the bus.”

Frimpong played alongside some of the best young talents in English football while at Man City, such as Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho and Felix Nmecha, making regular appearances in Premier League 2 and the Uefa Youth League.

“When I was at the Man City academy, all the players were good. You’re not the only one that’s got talent … you’ve got to fight for your position.”

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When he was 18-years-old, Frimpong made the “really tough” decision to leave City and sign for Celtic. On the journey up to Glasgow he wanted the driver to turn the car around, but his brother convinced him to follow through on the move.

The move turn out to be the right one. In his first season he picked up three winner’s medals as Celtic claimed the Scottish Treble. “It couldn’t have been better,” he reflected. “My memories from Celtic are always winning. Celtic was amazing, they were so good to me.

“All of them were amazing to me, they made me feel comfortable, like I’m playing with confidence. Especially the manager, Neil Lennon, he had so much belief in me.”

Frimpong took the confidence he gained in Scotland to Germany when he joined Leverkusen midway through the 2020/21 season. He’s since gone on to make 190 appearances in all competitions, registering 30 goals and 36 assists.

It’s little wonder, then, that he has gone on to become one of the hottest properties on the transfer market ahead of this summer’s window. Frimpong has achieved so much already in his career, but it may be about to come full circle if he finally signs for Liverpool all these years later.

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