This is starting to look like a very interesting situation for Liverpool.
Jeremie Frimpong has only been at Anfield for just over a year, but already there are reports that his Liverpool career could be coming to an end.
According to Spanish journalist Juan Jesus, Barcelona are interested in signing Frimpong in January, with the Dutchman reportedly open to the idea of moving to Spain.
Even more interestingly, the report claims Liverpool would be prepared to approve his departure for around £35 million.
If that’s accurate, I don’t think Liverpool supporters should automatically be surprised.
Because the biggest problem with Frimpong at Liverpool has never been his ability.
It’s whether Liverpool are actually the right place for him.
Frimpong hasn’t found his Liverpool role
When Liverpool signed Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen in 2025, I was genuinely excited.
He had been brilliant in Germany.
He had pace.
He had attacking quality.
He had experience of playing in a very successful Leverkusen team.
Liverpool paid around £29.5m after triggering his release clause, and the expectation was that he could become an important part of the new-look squad.
But things haven’t really worked out like that.
Frimpong has struggled with injuries and consistency, and he never completely established himself as Liverpool’s first-choice right-back.
And now, under Andoni Iraola, the situation appears even clearer.
Ronald Araújo is playing right-back.
And he’s doing a very good job there.
That’s the problem Frimpong has.
It’s one thing to lose your place to another player who is also struggling.
It’s another thing entirely when the player replacing you is giving the manager exactly what he wants defensively.
Iraola has already told us what he wants from Frimpong
What’s particularly interesting is that Frimpong himself admitted earlier this season that his role had changed.
Under Iraola, he was being used exclusively at right-back after previously switching between right-back and right wing.
He even explained that he was defending and recovering more while still being encouraged to attack.
That sounds positive.
But it also highlights the fundamental issue.
Frimpong is at his best when he’s allowed to attack.
That’s what made him so dangerous at Leverkusen.
He wasn’t a conventional defensive full-back.
He was essentially a wing-back who could hurt teams with his pace, movement and attacking instincts.
Liverpool are asking him to do much more defensive work.
And perhaps it simply hasn’t suited him.
Then Barcelona come calling
This is where the story becomes fascinating.
Barcelona are reportedly looking at Frimpong as they consider strengthening at right-back.
The same report claims Frimpong is very open to joining Barcelona.
I can completely understand why.
It’s Barcelona.
It’s La Liga.
And the style of football could potentially suit his attacking strengths much more naturally.
He could be given more freedom to get forward and attack space.
And there is an obvious attraction in returning to a league where his qualities might be used differently.
For Frimpong, this could represent a fresh start.
For Liverpool, it could represent a chance to move on from a transfer that simply hasn’t worked as well as everybody hoped.
But would I sell him for £35m?
This is where I’m torn.
The reported figure is £35m.
Liverpool paid around £29.5m for him, so on paper that wouldn’t represent a huge loss.
But I’m not sure I’d be rushing to sell him.
Because Frimpong is still a very talented footballer.
There is a player in there.
We’ve all seen it.
The question is whether Iraola can get it out of him.
And if Liverpool did sell him, they’d need to replace him.
Conor Bradley is still recovering, while Araújo’s versatility is currently giving Iraola an excellent option at right-back.
Liverpool shouldn’t sell a player simply because another player is currently doing a better job.
They need to make sure the squad remains strong enough.
But perhaps this is where the timing makes sense
If Frimpong genuinely isn’t part of Iraola’s long-term plans, then January could be the right moment.
The manager has now had months to assess him.
He knows what Frimpong can and cannot give him.
He knows what he wants from his full-backs.
And he has already found an alternative in Araújo.
So if Barcelona came in with around £35m, perhaps Liverpool would seriously consider it.
I’d still want a replacement lined up first.
But I wouldn’t be devastated.
And that’s probably the biggest change from when Frimpong arrived.
I really wanted him to succeed.
I still do.
But I’m increasingly convinced that Frimpong and Liverpool might simply be a bad fit.
I wouldn’t blame Frimpong either
This is important.
I don’t think Liverpool supporters should turn this into another situation where a player suddenly becomes “not good enough” just because things haven’t worked.
Frimpong was an outstanding player at Leverkusen.
Liverpool saw that.
They didn’t spend nearly £30m on a random player.
They bought somebody who had already proven his quality at the highest level.
But sometimes a transfer doesn’t work.
Sometimes the system isn’t right.
Sometimes the manager wants different qualities.
And sometimes another player comes along and simply fits the position better.
That’s football.
Barcelona could actually be perfect for him
If Barcelona really do want Frimpong, I can see why.
They could potentially give him the freedom to attack that made him so effective in Germany.
Liverpool, meanwhile, may decide that they need a more defensively reliable right-back to complement the rest of Iraola’s system.
And if Araújo continues performing as he has been, that decision becomes even easier.
The reported £35m fee would also give Liverpool money to reinvest elsewhere.
But I wouldn’t make the decision yet.
I’d wait.
I’d see how Frimpong performs between now and January.
I’d see what happens with Bradley.
I’d see whether Araújo remains at right-back.
And I’d see whether Iraola can find a role that finally gets the best out of Frimpong.
Because there is still time.
But if nothing changes?
Barcelona might just offer Liverpool the perfect solution.
Frimpong gets his fresh start.
Barcelona get an explosive attacking full-back.
Liverpool get around £35m to reinvest in a player who better fits Iraola’s plans.
For a transfer that initially looked like such an exciting signing, it would be a surprisingly quick ending.
But sometimes the right decision for everyone is simply to admit that a player and a club weren’t quite the right match.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
Leave a Reply