Arsenal are preparing to sign ‘the next world-class’ defender Jeremy Frimpong.
“Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is hoping to sign Bundesliga star Frimpong this summer and is reportedly prepared to delay the signing of a new full-back in January as a result,” Team Talk said on Sunday.
Born in 2000, the 22-year-old came through the ranks at Manchester City before moving to Celtic ahead of the 2019-20 season to secure playing time. He gradually made his presence felt as a rotation player, and by the 2020-21 season, he was a full first-team regular.
Just half a season after breaking into the first team, he was sent to Germany, to Leverkusen. After joining the club in the second half of the season, Frimpong was mainly used as a rotation player, adjusting to the Bundesliga and gaining some playing time in 2021-22, playing as the team’s right fullback. His final tally for the 2021-22 season was 1 goal and 6 assists in 25 league games.
In the 2022-23 season, he exploded. Establishing himself as a full-fledged starter, Frimpong used his immense speed as a weapon to play as a flanker. With eight goals and seven assists in the league alone in 2022-23, Frimpong was named to both the Kicker’s Team of the Year and Leverkusen’s Player of the Year awards, establishing himself as the side fullback to watch across Europe.
This season, he’s stepped up his game, especially with the addition of Alex Grimaldo, who joined the team in the summer transfer window. With five goals and six assists in all 16 league games, Frimpong has helped Leverkusen stay unbeaten in the league and sit atop the Bundesliga table.
Frimpong is one of the best offensive players in all of Europe. A number of “big clubs” are reportedly drooling over him. “Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid are among the clubs targeting Frimpong,” reports Football 365.
Arsenal, who are in need of a specialized fullback, are also reportedly interested in Frimpong. “After back-to-back defeats to Fulham and West Ham, Arteta has been keen to bolster his squad this month in a bid to move Arsenal into a position to challenge for the Premier League (PL) title. A striker and central midfielder are the main targets, but a full-back is reportedly not out of the question.”
“Arteta is determined not to rush into signing players and may wait until the summer to bring in the players he wants. According to Germany’s Bild, that player has been identified as Frimpong, who has established himself as one of the best attacking full-backs in European football this season.”