Credit: Imago

Evan Shaw

Sun 8 June 2025 14:30, UK

Liverpool’s new star Jeremie Frimpong played 90 minutes in the Netherlands’ 2-0 victory over Finland.

The Oranje got their World Cup qualifying campaign off to the perfect start in Helsinki on Saturday evening (7 June), with early goals from Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries enough to claim all three points in their opening clash of the group.

Frimpong has recently made the switch to L4 from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5million, and has been signed as the Reds’ replacement to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who opted to leave his boyhood club in favour of Real Madrid.

He featured heavily in his side’s victory, with the Netherlands ultimately expected to take charge of their qualifying group, which also features Poland, Lithuania and Malta.

Frimpong suffered from Koeman’s decision

Frimpong’s versatility is something which was seen as a huge bonus for Liverpool as part of their decision to bring him to the club, and Koeman tried to tap into that in the clash with Finland.

The Netherlands were expected to comfortably defeat their opponents, which prompted Koeman to play both Dumfries and Frimpong on the right flank, with the latter more advanced in a right-wing position.

Rotterdam-based outlet Algemeen Dagblad (7 June) handed Frimpong a 6/10 match rating, stating: “Frimpong gave a great cross from the left to Dumfries, who headed wide. He also missed a headed opportunity himself. The advantage of Frimpong in that position is that he is also constantly alert defensively, just like he is when pressing from the front.”

Voetbal Primeur opted to give the Liverpool man a slightly more positive rating of seven.

There will be big expectations of Frimpong at Liverpool

There will almost immediately be pressure for Frimpong to perform when he arrives at Anfield next term, such is the quality of the player he is replacing.

Alexander-Arnold had established himself as a world-class creator from wide areas, with his high-quality delivery into the box a constant threat for opposition teams. Frimpong is capable of providing a similar threat to opposition defences, as shown by his time at Leverkusen.

The former Manchester City academy man became one of the Bundesliga’s most dangerous players during his four-and-a-half-year stint with Die Werkself, and everyone in L4 will be hoping that he can translate that form across into Arne Slot’s side.

At 24, the Dutchman is constantly improving, and there is every reason for there to be extremely high hopes for him on Merseyside.