- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Manchester City have spoken to Jeremie Frimpong about a potential return to the Premier League giants for the Bayer Leverkusen speedster with Man United, Arsenal and Aston Villa also in the race.
HITC understands that, after playing a major role in Bayer Leverkusen’s unexpected and unbeaten Bundesliga title success under Xabi Alonso, the Dutch international is in line for a second spell with the club he left back in 2019.
Jeremie Frimpong, a graduate of Manchester City‘s increasingly-prosperous academy, has opened discussions – via his representatives – about a move that would see him return to the Etihad Stadium as a first-team player.
City, who moved to within one win of another Premier League title thanks to Tuesday’s 2-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur, are doing their checks on Frimpong’s availability as they look to discover the overall cost of a potential deal.
Manchester City eye Jeremie Frimpong return
The 23-year-old’s release clause – just £34 million – is unlikely to be a stumbling block for his deep-pocketed suitors.
Manchester United are also keen, having looked at Frimpong back in 2023. There is interest too from an Aston Villa outfit who will be operating from a position of real strength this summer after qualifying for the Champions League for the first time.
Another club to keep an eye on is Arsenal, the team seemingly destined to finish as runners-up behind City. Mikel Arteta’s side lack a ‘natural’ right-sided full-back, despite possessing such talents as Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
HITC have been told that Real Madrid, who’s first-choice right-back Dani Carvajal is now 32, are on Frimpong’s trail too. As are a Bayern Munich side who found themselves on the wrong end of a stunning Frimpong goal in February, the one-time Celtic flyer scoring from almost the halfway line after Manuel Neuer went up for a late corner.
That is just one of a highly-impressive 14 goals Frimpong has scored in 2023/24. The Amsterdam-born flyer also has 12 assists to his name, his searing pace and his excellent output in the final third perhaps leading Man City to see their former academy kid as a long-term successor for the long-serving Kyle Walker.
A Bundesliga champion with Bayer Leverkusen
“A fast player with incredible acceleration and good technique,” was the assessment of Leverkusen director Simon Rolfes after spending £11 million on Frimpong back in January 2021.
“His ability to accelerate and decelerate is world-class. If you’re world-class at something at Celtic and in the Bundesliga, that’s also the case in other leagues. There were other things he had to improve when he came, and he has doing fantastic.
“He has the right ambition to work on himself.”
Speaking to Spanish publication Marca last year, Frimpong admitted that he would be tempted by a second spell at Man City, seemingly feeling that he has unfinished business in England’s north west.
“(Pep) Guardiola, really, was not my coach. I only met him a handful of times when I went up to train with the first-team,” said the wideman, who spent nearly a decade with City’s academy.
“It would be great (to return) but I don’t know. They have just won the Champions League (vs Inter Milan last year) and are the best team in the world.
“In the future, we will see.”
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