Pundit and former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta has advised Chelsea to reunite Xabi Alonso with Liverpool star Jeremie Frimpong this summer. The pair worked together at Bayer Leverkusen, losing just one game in the 2023-24 season as they won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal.
Mendieta spoke to Grosvenor Sport about his compatriot Alonso's transfer targets at Stamford Bridge this summer. He proposed that a move be made for Frimpong as it could benefit both the player and Chelsea after he failed to make his mark in his debut campaign at Anfield.
“Jeremie Frimpong could be a good asset for Xabi Alonso at Chelsea. 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", he said (via football365.com).
Jeremie Frimpong left Bayer Leverkusen for Liverpool in a £30 million move last summer after Alonso left the club for Real Madrid. The Netherlands international saw injuries and a different system limit his impact at Anfield as Liverpool struggled collectively.
Frimpong thrived in Alonso's set-up in Germany but was a shadow of himself under Arne Slot, resulting in his missing out on a place in the Netherlands FIFA World Cup squad. The 25-year-old managed just three goals contributions all season, a significant drop-off from the 14 he recorded in his final season in Germany.
A Chelsea move unlikely for Liverpool star
Despite the success of their partnership in the past, new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso is unlikely to pursue a move for Jeremie Frimpong from Liverpool. The Dutch right-back struggled to cope with the physicality of the Premier League in his debut campaign with the Reds.
The Blues are blessed with players in Frimpong's position, with captain Reece James or Malo Gusto often starting at right-back. The reported designation of 19-year-old academy graduate Josh Acheampong as an 'untouchable' further adds to the notion that they will not look to recruit in the position.
Jeremie Frimpong will not be looking to leave Anfield so soon after joining them, even if the option of a reunion with Alonso comes up. He will hope to put his physical issues behind him and impress new Reds boss Andoni Iraola.