FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Bayer Leverkusen - Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany - January 25, 2025 Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
(Reuters) -Trent Alexander-Arnold left "big shoes" to fill after leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid last month but new signing Jeremie Frimpong has no doubt he has the ability to replace the England international in the Premier League champions' defence.
Frimpong's arrival from Bayer Leverkusen was announced hours after Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid, with the Dutch international becoming Arne Slot's first signing since winning the English top flight.
"Liverpool. It's a big club, so it's big shoes regardless," Frimpong told Sky Sports in an interview published on Sunday, when asked if he would compete with Conor Bradley to succeed Alexander-Arnold as Liverpool's first choice for right back.
"It's a winning team ... they win trophies for a reason. If you play for a team like Liverpool you have to fill in the shoes and perform.
"I've always believed in myself. I'm a winner. That's what I'm going to bring to the team."
Amsterdam-born Frimpong, who can also play as a winger, spent nine years at Manchester City as a youth player before making his senior debut in 2019 at Celtic, who won the Scottish Premiership in his first season.
The 24-year-old joined Leverkusen in 2021 and made 34 appearances as they won the Bundesliga in 2023-24.
"The Premier League is the best league in the world. I grew up in Manchester so I always wanted to come back. It was always the plan," Frimpong said.
"I know what being a champion is like at Bayer Leverkusen, so joining a champion team is a privilege ... to go from watching (Liverpool) to playing for them is crazy.
"The manager has told me how I can help the team and he really likes me as a player. It's given me extra motivation and belief."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
