Xabi Alonso tipped to sign £29.5m Liverpool star for Chelsea

Incoming Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea have been tipped to sign Jeremie Frimpong in a move that would reunite the Liverpool defender with his former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso .

Frimpong switched Leverkusen for Liverpool last summer in a £29.5million deal, with the Dutchman arriving as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold following his move to Real Madrid .

However, the attacking full-back struggled in his first season on Merseyside , with several injuries reducing him to only 12 Premier League starts in his maiden campaign.

A poor end to the season for Liverpool saw Arne Slot sacked, and Andoni Iraola’s arrival could spell some uncertainty for Frimpong as the Reds look to rebuild their side to their new manager’s liking.

Under Alonso, Frimpong played a pivotal role at right wing-back as Leverkusen won the Bundesliga for the first time in the club’s history.

And with that in mind, former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta believes that a move to Stamford Bridge to reunite with the incoming Chelsea boss could help Frimpong get back to his best.

‘Jeremie Frimpong could be a good asset for Xabi Alonso at Chelsea,’ he told Grosvenor Sport.

Jeremie Frimpong struggled in his first season at Liverpool (Picture: Getty)

‘Managers have players they trust from previous clubs and there will be a belief from the player that they can find that form again.

‘We often see players reuniting with former coaches for that reason, especially if things aren’t going well for those players like Frimpong at Liverpool.

‘It’s a way of getting them back to form, hoping you can get the maximum out of the player and help you win things.

Xabi Alonso got the best out of Frimpong at Bayer Leverkusen (Picture: Getty)

‘I’m sure Chelsea will be active again in the market, they have to let players leave and bring new players in to suit the new coach.’

While Alonso does not formally arrive in his post until the start of July, Chelsea are already braced for potential high-profile exits this summer.

Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella both raised doubts over their long-term futures at Chelsea, with clubs in Spain reportedly interested in both players.

Former Chelsea winger Joe Cole (Picture: Getty)

But Mendieta is confident that Cucurella will eventually resist any offers to leave, saying: ‘He is very intelligent tactically and can adapt to different roles.

‘We’ve seen him be more defensive, and we’ve seen him more offensive, playing higher up almost as a winger.

‘Obviously, his connection with Barca is stronger, but again, it’s a matter of opportunities, a matter of playing Champions League football and not losing his role in the national team.

‘I’m not sure we’ll see him leave this season, especially with Xabi Alonso coming in. I’m sure Xabi will trust him and want him in the team. But it’s something players think about, a season without Europe is a big miss for an international player.

‘Cucurella will be a key player under Xabi Alonso. He plays with fullbacks quite offensively, it’s very demanding physically because you have to support the midfield.

‘The fullbacks at Leverkusen used to be quite prolific in attack, so that suits Cucurella.’