Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara has hailed Jeremie Frimpong as a top acquisition for Liverpool, though he suggests the gap left by Trent Alexander-Arnold might still be felt.
Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, the 38-year-old praised the Reds' shrewd move in snapping up the Dutchman Frimpong but maintained that Alexander-Arnold remains the superior player.
"Jeremine Frimpong is another really good signing for Liverpool," he commented. "If you're comparing him to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong is more athletic and will be able to get up and down the line for the whole game. That wasn't Trent's strength – we've seen in the Club World Cup that he's struggling to do that in a Real Madrid shirt."
Frimpong, who sealed his switch to Liverpool last month, has certainly earned his stripes. He played a pivotal role in Bayer Leverkusen's dream run to the Bundesliga title and was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for both 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Despite the 24-year-old turning heads across the Premier League with his move to the reigning champions, O'Hara doubts whether Frimpong can emulate what Alexander-Arnold achieved while donning the Liverpool red.
The former Tottenham midfielder also commented: "But I don't think Frimpong will reach the same level as Trent did. He won't be able to match Trent's ability with the ball at his feet. Trent was compared to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne in terms of passing ability and creativity, which is a testament to how good he is. His contributions in the form of assists were unmatched for Liverpool, which is why Madrid have signed him."
Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid was confirmed on May 30, the exact day Liverpool named Frimpong as his successor.
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After Alexander-Arnold signaled his desire to depart from the Merseyside team on May 5, Arne Slot decided to field Northern Irish international Conor Bradley as the right-back.
Despite Bradley showing promise since graduating from the Liverpool Academy in 2023, O'Hara is skeptical that he can become a permanent fixture in the senior team.
"I know that some fans have argued they've got Conor Bradley – who is a good player – but he's not good enough to be a starting defender for Liverpool, let alone have the same effect as Trent."
Conor Bradley of Liverpool
Conor Bradley is set to battle it out with Jeremie Frimpong for the right-back spot at Liverpool (Image: Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Moreover, O'Hara expressed astonishment at Liverpool's substitute goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher heading to Brentford, hinting that the Irish stopper has the talent to be first-choice for many top European teams.
He stated: "Caoimhin Kelleher is a fantastic acquisition for Brentford. He's an exceptional player; too talented to be Liverpool's second choice. However, I must confess, I anticipated Kelleher signing with a top European club as their first-choice goalkeeper."
Kelleher made his way to the Liverpool Academy in 2015 from Irish side Ringmahon Rangers and climbed the ranks to make his senior debut for the Reds in 2019. The Irishman boasts 24 clean sheets in 67 appearances during his stint at LFC.
He also holds the record for the most penalty shootout saves (6) and penalty shootout victories (4) in Liverpool FC history.
O'Hara added: "For Brentford to sign him on a permanent deal is a great piece of business, especially when they're losing some of their best players and given the pressure they'll be under next season with a new manager."
Kelleher was transferred to the Bees for an initial sum of $17.2 million, with potential add-ons that could push the total to $24.7 million.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.