Jeremie Frimpong, a right-back for Bayer Leverkusen, is rumored to not be available this month, despite Aston Villa being linked to the player.
Since joining the German team in 2021, the 23-year-old has become one of the best players in his position. He frequently plays a more advanced attacking role as well. After making 48 appearances last season and contributing nine goals and 11 assists, he has already reached seven goals and ten assists in just 22 games this season.
Unsurprisingly, that has sparked rumors of interest from other teams, including Villa. According to the Athletic, Frimpong is a target as we think about bolstering our right-back options.
Although the aforementioned article highlights that Leverkusen’s high asking price may hinder a trade during the January transfer window,Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the team has no plans to part with one of its most valuable players this month.
The Bundesliga team, which is vying for major awards this year, would undoubtedly be desperate to prevent any mid-season sales that could jeopardize their chances of winning the title.
Additionally, he notes that Frimpong’s €40 million release clause is only effective in June and is not valid this month, indicating that it is extremely improbable that a move will occur in the upcoming days or weeks.
It seems inconsistent with Unai Emery’s mindset and approach to the transfer market that we would rush and consider paying over the odds if Frimpong is indeed a top target, given his declaration since taking over that we will only sign players who substantially improve the current squad.
As for us, we’ll probably have to wait until the summer to decide whether or not he’s a priority, but the rumors do indicate that we think we can get better at right-back.
Since Emery frequently likes to play with three center-halves in his backline, Matty Cash is now the clear favorite to start in that position. However, Ezri Konsa has demonstrated his versatility and ability to shift across and fill that role when necessary.
Calum Chambers is capable of playing there as well, but his participation has been significantly restricted due to uncertainty surrounding his future at Villa. It is believed that an improvement in that area would be necessary if we were to consistently compete at the highest level.
Considering those factors, it would make sense to sign a new right-back, assuming that rookie Kaine Kesler-Hayden isn’t viewed as a long-term viable option. Given the caliber of play that Frimpong has been putting up at Leverkusen, he would undoubtedly be an exciting addition if we were able to sign him in the summer.
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