Former Liverpool midfielder Bolo Zenden has delivered a brutally honest verdict on Jeremie Frimpong's first season at Anfield, warning the Dutchman that he needs to "step it up" if he wants to fill the void left by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The 25-year-old arrived from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for £29.5 million after Alexander-Arnold's departure to Real Madrid. But injuries, inconsistency, and tactical uncertainty have made it a frustrating debut campaign for the Netherlands international.
Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, Zenden didn't hold back. "It's obviously difficult to fill the boots of Trent, given his qualities," he said. The former Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder then highlighted a fundamental difference between the two players that goes beyond mere statistics.
"I think Trent was more a defender than an attacker, whereas Jeremie Frimpong is more an attacker than a full-back."
That distinction has become increasingly important under Arne Slot. Frimpong has often looked caught between positions this season, especially since Liverpool doesn't operate with wing-backs. His best football in Germany came in a back five system, where he could bomb forward with freedom. At Anfield, that luxury simply doesn't exist.
"Frimpong is not a right winger," Zenden added. "At Leverkusen he played the whole width as more of a wing-back."
The uncertainty has become more glaring in recent weeks. Despite Frimpong being fully fit again, Curtis Jones has regularly been trusted at right-back ahead of the Dutchman—a clear sign that Slot is still searching for answers in that position.
Zenden also pointed to the chemistry Alexander-Arnold built with Mohamed Salah as something Frimpong hasn't yet replicated. "They really complemented each other quite well, and Trent had a fantastic early cross. That's different with Frimpong."
"Sometimes there's a reason why things don't really go the way they should be, or the way they went before."
For Liverpool fans hoping to see Frimpong hit his Leverkusen heights, Zenden's message is clear: adaptation takes time, but the clock is ticking.