The full-back Liverpool must sign to replace Jeremie Frimpong

With Julian Ward now back at Liverpool, the hope is that better squad building is on the horizon.

Over the last year, the Reds have spent lavish sums of money, notably parting ways with £125m to sign Alexander Isak and £123m to bring Bradley Barcola to Anfield.

Two exciting additions, in time, they should propel Liverpool to new heights.

However, in defence, things look like a bit of a mess. The acquisition of Jeremy Jacquet is one of their best in recent years but it would be safe to say that Jeremie Frimpong has been about as far from a success as you can get.

What’s gone wrong for Frimpong at Liverpool

Just over a year ago, Liverpool were in need of replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

They turned to one of the most exciting players in the Bundesliga, luring Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen.

The Dutchman had fast become one of the best wing-backs in European football, contributing as many as 14 goals and ten assists in 47 matches during their title-winning campaign of 2023/24.

However, therein lies the problem. Frimpong is not a full-back. During that impressive season with Leverkusen, he played the vast majority of his football on the right wing.

At Liverpool, he has been used sparingly in that role, ten times, in fact. The 25-year-old has played 29 times in defence.

Why can’t he play in that position? Well, he’s simply not good enough defensively. He’s not good enough in 1v1 situations. Sure, he’s full of pace and he’s a threat going forward, but he’s not going to give you security at the back. Ronald Araujo, however, is.

The trouble with Frimpong is that when he does get forward, he’s not even delivering positive performances in that regard either. His performance against Nottingham Forest at the end of August was particularly worrying. None of his four crosses found their man.

It was a similar story against Newcastle when only one of his five crosses was accurate. It tells the story of a wasteful player who is not offering much to Andoni Iraola’s side.

How Ward could replace Frimpong at Liverpool

There are more problems at Liverpool than just Frimpong but strengthening the full-back positions in January must be a big priority for Ward.

On the right flank, they have already been linked with a move for Givairo Read of Feyenoord but there’s a more exciting rumour doing the rounds, and it would tick a lot of boxes.

Does anyone fancy a return for Alexander-Arnold?

The Liverpudlian left Merseyside behind in controversial circumstances when he headed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2025 at the conclusion of his deal.

Supporters branded him a snake and, quite frankly, couldn’t wait to get rid of him. Yet, with Frimpong underwhelming so much since arriving at Anfield, it has left fans longing for Trent again.

Sure, he’s not amazing defensively either but he was a cult hero in these parts and would certainly represent a big upgrade on the Netherlands international.

Well, according to TEAMtalk, intermediaries have been assessing options for Trent’s future. They have held talks with Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea, while his former club Liverpool have also been approached.

Those English clubs do have interest in Alexander-Arnold and have remained attentive to his situation since he left the Premier League over a year ago.

Now, we know what you’re thinking. Never go back to an ex, right? Well, in this case, Liverpool might be wise to ignore that advice.

Truth be told, Iraola needs Trent and Trent needs Iraola. Since heading to Madrid, he has not enjoyed the best of times, notably excluded from England’s World Cup squad. He’s down Thomas Tuchel’s pecking order of right-backs.

That said, in the words of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, he is “one of the best defenders and full-backs in world football.” It is hard to disagree with that.

The last time Trent played in the Premier League, his numbers were off the charts. Above, we’re comparing the two players at the peak of their careers.

Let’s forget about 2025/26 for a bit. In 2024/25, they were both sensational, but it was Alexander-Arnold who trumped his replacement not just in the defensive department but also offensively too.

Liverpool fans know how impressive a passer Trent is, but the sheer number of progressive passes he made per 90 minutes compared to Frimpong was extraordinary. He ranked among the top 1% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for that metric in 2024/25.

But, for all of the negativity surrounding his defending, he won more duels and far more tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes. That speaks volumes about the positions the two players were playing in. It certainly suggests that Trent is the more competent full-back.

He might not be perfect, but if there is an opportunity to bring back one of the academy’s greatest ever talents, Liverpool must take it with both hands.