Jeremie Frimpong Earns FIFPRO Recognition Amid Liverpool Uncertainty

Jeremie Frimpong has barely had a chance to get going at Liverpool, and that is the reality. Signed in the summer of 2025 from Bayer Leverkusen as the long-term answer at right-back, he arrived with a contract running to 2030 and a clear brief, replace the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold and push the position forward. So far, injuries have got in the way.

The 25-year-old has made only eight appearances in all competitions this season, scoring once and adding two assists. That is a modest return, though it also reflects how little rhythm he has been able to build. For a player whose game depends on sharpness, repeat sprints and timing, stop-start availability is a serious problem.

FIFPRO Award Highlights Pathways Work

Off the pitch, Frimpong has done something far more substantial. He has been shortlisted for the 2026 FIFPRO Merit Award in the Player Voice Award category, recognition for his Pathways initiative. The programme was set up to help young people deal with one of football’s least discussed realities, what comes next when academy dreams fade.

Photo: IMAGO

Pathways has already reached more than 800 people aged 15 to 22 across four countries, working with male and female participants. It offers guidance beyond football in sectors including technology, gaming and finance, while also giving access to mental health practitioners. That matters. Too many academies prepare players for a profession few will reach, and not enough prepare them for everything else.

Liverpool Right-Back Picture Growing Clearer

At Liverpool, the football situation is becoming more complicated. A mix of injuries, form issues and the loan arrival of Ronald Araujo has pushed Frimpong out of the first-choice picture. Araujo has made an instant impression thanks to his aggression, physicality and threat around set-pieces, and that has shifted the pecking order quickly.

There are now reports that Al Hilal want Frimpong, and that the player is considering the move. If that turns into a January exit, Liverpool would have a problem. Losing a specialist option mid-season is manageable only if a replacement is lined up immediately. Right now, Frimpong’s strongest impact is coming away from the pitch, and that says plenty about how this season has gone.