Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez made their first appearances for Liverpool since joining from Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth, and they had differing fortunes in their 45-minute cameos at Preston
Here’s a concise breakdown of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez’s Liverpool debuts during the Reds’ 3-1 preseason win over Preston:
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🔴 Jeremie Frimpong – A Mixed Start
Fee: $40 million from Bayer Leverkusen
Role: Right wing-back, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold
🟢 Positives:
Took up aggressive, advanced positions—often slotting into the half-space between the winger and striker.
Linked up well with Ben Doak in short bursts, hinting at future chemistry.
Showed attacking intent by constantly looking to push forward.
🔴 Negatives:
Nervy on the ball: two heavy touches squandered promising moments from excellent passes (Woodman, Jones).
Lacked composure in tight areas—a clear sign of rust after the summer break.
⚖️ Verdict:
A shaky but understandable debut. Frimpong will need time to settle into Slot’s system, but his positioning and drive were encouraging. Expect much better as fitness and sharpness return.
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🔴 Milos Kerkez – A Statement of Intent
Fee: Over $50 million from Bournemouth
Role: Left-back, pushing to replace Andy Robertson
🟢 Positives:
Energetic and fearless; immediately drove forward with overlapping runs.
Played a clever through-ball to Nunez and kept involved in the attack.
Beat two defenders to win a dangerous free-kick.
Launched a pinpoint diagonal to switch play, showcasing vision.
Made a crunching, clean tackle in stoppage time—defensive commitment on show.
🔴 Negatives:
Slight overexcitement at times, leading to overcommitting, but nothing costly.
⚖️ Verdict:
An impressive and dynamic debut. Kerkez showed he can be both an attacking threat and a defensive presence. On this showing, Robertson’s starting spot is firmly under threat.
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🧠 Overall Takeaway:
Frimpong: Needs rhythm, but his intent and positioning are aligned with Slot’s attacking ideals.
Kerkez: Already looks like he belongs. He could become a fan favorite quickly.
Slot’s fullback revolution is un
derway—and while Frimpong may need more time, Kerkez looks ready now.