Xabi Alonso has been tipped to sign Jeremie Frimpong from Liverpool for Chelsea in a potential reunion with his former Bayer Leverkusen star. The Dutch defender joined Liverpool last summer for £29.5 million as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who moved to Real Madrid. However, Frimpong endured a difficult first season on Merseyside, making only 12 Premier League starts due to injuries.
Frimpong's Struggles at Liverpool
Liverpool's poor end to the season led to the sacking of Arne Slot, and new manager Andoni Iraola's arrival could bring further uncertainty for Frimpong. The Reds are expected to rebuild their squad to suit Iraola's preferences.
Under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, Frimpong played a key role at right wing-back, helping the club win the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. Former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta believes a move to Chelsea could help Frimpong rediscover his best form.
Mendieta's View
'Jeremie Frimpong could be a good asset for Xabi Alonso at Chelsea,' Mendieta told Grosvenor Sport. 'Managers have players they trust from previous clubs, and there will be a belief from the player that they can find that form again. We often see players reuniting with former coaches for that reason, especially if things aren't going well for those players like Frimpong at Liverpool. It's a way of getting them back to form, hoping you can get the maximum out of the player and help you win things. I'm sure Chelsea will be active again in the market; they have to let players leave and bring new players in to suit the new coach.'
Chelsea's Potential Exits
While Alonso does not officially start his role until July, Chelsea are already preparing for possible high-profile departures. Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella have both raised doubts about their long-term futures, with Spanish clubs reportedly interested. Joe Cole has urged Chelsea to sign Bernardo Silva, but Mendieta is confident Cucurella will stay.
'He is very intelligent tactically and can adapt to different roles,' Mendieta said of Cucurella. 'We've seen him be more defensive and more offensive, playing higher up almost as a winger. Obviously, his connection with Barca is stronger, but it's a matter of opportunities, playing Champions League football, and not losing his role in the national team. I'm not sure we'll see him leave this season, especially with Xabi Alonso coming in. Cucurella will be a key player under Xabi Alonso. He plays with fullbacks quite offensively, it's very demanding physically because you have to support the midfield. The fullbacks at Leverkusen used to be quite prolific in attack, so that suits Cucurella.'
