Manchester United are reportedly monitoring the situation of Bayer Leverkusen’s attacking full-back and Arsenal target Jeremie Frimpong, although a move would hinge on the takeover of the Old Trafford outfit.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, the links between Arsenal and Jeremie Frimpong are “not a hot topic” at this moment in time. He adds that Manchester United are still monitoring his situation, and further progress in talks could follow once the new owners are in place.
This comes after contrasting reports that Frimpong is edging closer to a move to the Emirates as the Red Devils focus on their priorities elsewhere. Having made the switch from Celtic Park to BayArena in January 2021, the 22-year-old has established a reputation as one of the most promising attacking full-backs in the Bundesliga in the last couple of seasons with Leverkusen.
He enjoyed a sensational 2022/23 campaign, making 34 Bundesliga appearances across all competitions for Die Werkself last term and recording an impressive number of goal contributions (eight goals, seven assists).
Leverkusen have reportedly set a £35 million price tag for Frimpong amid interest from the Premier League and across Europe. It has been widely reported in recent days that the former Manchester City youngster is high on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s list of targets this summer. However, the North Londoners are not the only side keen on the defender’s services.
Manchester United are also known to be a long-term admirer of Frimpong and were reportedly one of the front-runners for his signature around April. But their priorities have since shifted to other areas.
Erik ten Hag’s men are prioritising the signing of a goalkeeper and central striker following the arrival of midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea this week. However, it appears that the Red Devils are also active in the market for full-back reinforcements.
The Old Trafford outfit are currently well-stocked on the flanks of their defence, with Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot viewed as first-choice options; the latter recently penned a fresh deal running until the summer of 2028. Reinforcements at this position were pushed further down by the re-emergence of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who came in from the cold and put in some encouraging performances towards the end of last season.
Ten Hag is working with a limited budget due to Financial Fair Play rules and the protracted saga over the sale of the club. Until they offload some talent on their books, and that is a big if given the steep wages they are on at Old Trafford, it is difficult to see them going after Frimpong.
As for Arsenal, they already have Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu in that position, while new signing Jurrien Timber is also an able deputy there. Therefore, Frimpong would arguably not arrive as a first-choice option in North London.
With Euro 2024 on the horizon, the last thing the Dutch right-back would want to do is limit his game time, which could jeopardize his position in the national team. He is also a key player for Xabi Alonso. So it is not completely out of the question that he decides to stay put at BayArena for another season before switching clubs.
