Liverpool were set to drop points for the first time at Anfield this season, but Trent Alexander-Arnold said no. The England international's last-gasp winner against Fulham on Sunday afternoon is symbolic of the lionhearted mentality under Jurgen Klopp's management.
Was this on show last season? Decidedly not. Liverpool struggled, toiled, languished and flopped. A fifth-placed Premier League finish was probably a fair reflection of a season marred by a malfunctioning engine room, the cuts too deep despite a late-season purple patch.
But Liverpool's heavy tinkering across the summer has resulted in a new-look midfield that has charged the club back into title conversations, with results such as the 4-3 win over Fulham evidence of a mindset fit for champions.
Unfortunately for the Reds, Arsenal mirrored the result at Kenilworth Road soon after, with Declan Rice popping up big time once again in a further token of his worth after a £105m summer arrival.
Manchester City also exists, and the pursuit of silver-laden success will require season-long fortitude, ingenuity and innovation to prevail and return to the pinnacle of the footballing pyramid.
Such ambitions have been made possible by the acquisitions of cultured Alexis Mac Allister, indefatigable Dominik Szoboszlai and exciting Ryan Gravenberch.
Such signings still have not answered the question surrounding Liverpool's long-term answer to the No. 6 position in the team, where Mac Allister has been playing since the summer.
Indeed, the time for a solution is now approaching, and to take a step in that direction, Liverpool must make a move for high-octane wideman Jeremie Frimpong.
Liverpool transfer news – Jeremie Frimpong
According to a recent report from 90min, Liverpool scouts were present to watch surprise German Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen draw 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund, with Frimpong the man at the centre of Klopp's attention.
Understood to have a £35m release clause in his contract which expires next summer, the Dutchman has been exceptional under Xabi Alonso's management this season, with his exploits down the right channel also attracting Arsenal's attention, with scouts decidedly impressed by what they saw.
The 22-year-old is among the finest attacking wing-backs in the business and appears to offer a skill set that would complement Liverpool's system, though whether the Reds opt to prioritise such a signing over the midfield remains to be seen.
Jeremie Frimpong's style of play
Praised for his "breathtaking" speed by journalist and U23 scout Antonio Mango, Frimpong is one of the most distinctive and talented defenders in Europe, though it's perhaps incorrect to label him as a member of the backline.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box and progressive carries, and the top 2% for successful take-ons and progressive passes received per 90, highlighting his placement up within the thick of the attacking action.
As a result of such marauding forays, Frimpong ranks among the top 2% for goals, the top 5% for assists and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, leading United Stand presenter Beth Tucker to call him a “monster” in the final third.
#
Player
Club
1
Theo Hernandez
AC Milan
2
Alphonso Davies
Bayern Munich
3
Kieran Trippier
Newcastle United
4
Joao Cancelo
Barcelona
5
Benjamin Pavard
Inter Milan
*Sourced via Football Transfers
Likened to some of the best offensive full-backs around, Frimpong has certainly been in fine fettle this season, posting six goals and seven assists from 18 appearances across all competitions, particularly eye-catching in the German top-flight.
As per Sofascore, the whiz has clinched nine direct contributions across 13 starts in the Bundesliga this season, notably also completing 80% of his passes, averaging 1.5 key passes and 3.5 ball recoveries per game and providing Alonso's high-flying side with a constant offensive outlet down the right.
Again, it must be stressed that the former Celtic starlet is firmly positioned in the attacking half, only making 0.9 tackles and 0.5 clearances per game and only winning 48% of his duels, so his addition to the fold would hardly eradicate the perpetual question marks over Liverpool's defensive solidity at right-back under Klopp's leadership.
By sealing a swoop for Frimpong, Liverpool would, of course, likely wave goodbye to Alexander-Arnold's permanent role at right-back, with all the pointers suggesting that the brilliant playmaker is destined for a future in the centre of the park.
New beginnings
Two years ago, Klopp scoffed at claims that Alexander-Arnold should move into midfield, saying, "Why make the best right-back in the world a midfielder?"
Now, with the 25-year-old increasingly venturing into the nucleus of Klopp's system of the pitch, it appears inevitable that he will eventually cement a spot in the middle, which would mean that signing someone of Frimpong's ilk makes a load of sense.
Alexander-Arnold is one of the finest creative players in the world, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers for assists and passes attempted, the top 25% for shot-creating actions and the top 3% for progressive passes per 90.
His innate ability to influence play and pick out the Mohamed Salah's and Luiz Diaz's of Liverpool's team is nothing short of extraordinary, though there is a growing sense that his defence-splitting passing would be better utilised as the central fulcrum.
On a per-game average in the league this term, the "genius" – as he has been dubbed by reporter Neil Jones – is creating 1.8 key passes, making 6.8 ball recoveries and 1.3 tackles, also completing 81% of his passes.
This hints at an ability to thrive in the centre, marrying his flair and style with an underrated industriousness; it's also worth noting, that were such changes to be enforced then Frimpong could find the ultimate force supplementing his darting runs.
Frimpong lingers in the final third and weaves into space at breakneck speed, with Alexander-Arnold in the centre, pulling the strings, then there is no telling how indomitable Liverpool's offensive verve could become, and Klopp must seriously consider signing the Bayer Leverkusen star and continuing the evolution of 'Liverpool 2.0'.
