Jeremie Frimpong has made it clear how highly he rates former manager Xabi Alonso, amid links with him replacing Arne Slot.
It has been an adequate first season at Liverpool for Frimpong, but injuries have made it hard for him to find consistency.
The Dutchman excelled as a right wing-back under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, winning the Bundesliga title in 2023/24 and not losing a game in the competition.
Speaking to Men in Blazers, Frimpong hailed his former boss, saying he was capable of getting the best out of him.
“He is a great player, you know, legend,” Frimpong said.
“He knows the game. If you have a coach like him, you know, you have to listen. He knows what’s best for you.
“He’s seen a lot of players that are good, so he’s got all the experience.
“So of course, when he first came, he just knew how to use me. He knew I could help the team a lot with my speed and my ability to get past people.
“Just practicing your final third balls, when to run so you are not offside, things like this.”
Jeremie Frimpong heaps praise on “wizard” Florian Wirtz
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 4, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Frimopong also lauded Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool alongside him last summer, revealing what makes him so special.
“At Leverkusen, everyone played a part in winning what we won, but if Flo wasn’t there, maybe it would have been a different story,” he added.
“He was the heartbeat of the team. You guys are seeing more and more of it now; he’s got so much more.
“Flo at his best wins you games – he is going to score goals and assist, same game. Flot at his best is going to embarrass you if you’re a defender.
“He’s like a wizard. He’s so confident of his abilities, he can just go past anyone.”
Liverpool hiring Xabi Alonso ideal for 2 Liverpool players
2KA9M23 Leverkusen, Germany. 01st Nov, 2022. Soccer: Champions League, Bayer Leverkusen - FC Brugge, Group Stage, Group B, Matchday 6, BayArena. Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso looks ahead to the match. Credit: Marius Becker/dpa/Alamy Live News
Liverpool may have beaten Fulham 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday, but it hasn’t done too much to silence Slot’s critics.
For many, a change is needed in the dugout this summer, following a dire season, with Slot flattering to deceive both tactically and in terms of instilling a strong mentality.
Alonso feels like such a natural replacement, not only because of his Liverpool past, but more importantly, due to his title-winning brilliance at Leverkusen.
For Frimpong and Wirtz, it could be more beneficial than anyone, considering how much they excelled under his management.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 27, 2025: Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The former bagged nine goals and seven assists in the league that year, with the latter got 11 apiece, en route to being crowned the division’s Player of the Season.
Both Frimpong and Wirtz have done well in patches in their first season at Liverpool, but there are far more gears to find with someone else potentially in charge.
For now, it’s a case of Slot battling to save his job, with a top-five finish in the Premier League paramount, but winning the Champions League may be the only thing that rescues him.