Liverpool’s preparations for their Premier League title defence have been dealt an early setback with confirmation that new signing Jeremie Frimpong faces several weeks out with a hamstring injury.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the 2025 FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on August 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
The right-back limped off on his debut against Bournemouth and will miss crucial fixtures against Newcastle United and Arsenal before the September international break.
Manager Arne Slot described the substitution as precautionary but admitted the player will not be fit to return until later in September.
“At the moment we only have two injuries, but unfortunately it is two in the same position,” Slot said. “The good thing is we have other players that can play there.”
The timing is far from ideal.
Conor Bradley, who impressed in spells last season, has only just returned to first-team training after missing much of pre-season with a knock.
He is not yet considered match fit, while Joe Gomez has only recently shaken off an Achilles issue that disrupted his summer.
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - JULY 30: Conor Bradley of Liverpool FC in action during the MEIJI YASUDA J.LEAGUE World Challenge 2025 presented by The Nippon Foundation match between Yokohama F•Marinos and Liverpool at Nissan Stadium on July 30, 2025 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Kenta Harada/Getty Images)
Photo by Kenta Harada/Getty Images
“Conor trained for a few minutes with us today for the first time,” Slot told reporters at his pre-Newcastle press conference.
“The medical team was completely right about Jeremie to tell me that I had to take him off, because he is out until the end of the international break and that happened in the game.
“I already said immediately after the game that it had nothing to do with how he played, but we felt he had an issue with his hamstring. And with ‘we’ I don’t mean me, but the medical staff. And they were completely right.
“So, a good call to take him off, otherwise he would have maybe been out for longer. And we expect to have him back after the international break.”
PRESTON, ENGLAND - JULY 13: Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Preston North End and Liverpool at Deepdale on July 13, 2025 in Preston, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images
Slot has suggested he may need to deploy makeshift cover at right-back, with midfielders including Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Curtis Jones all mentioned as potential short-term solutions.
He also added, hilariously, “It’s just you cannot prepare for two injuries in one position, it would be stupid for us to have three full-backs or five left-backs.”
Liverpool travel to St James’ Park before welcoming Arsenal to Anfield, games that are likely to shape the early momentum of their title defence.
For Arsenal, the absence of Frimpong and the lack of an established right-back option could be significant. Slot’s vision for Liverpool relies heavily on full-backs pushing high and influencing play in advanced areas.
Without Frimpong, that system may be forced into compromise at a time when rivals are looking for any early cracks in the champions’ armour.
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