Manchester City are reportedly keeping tabs on former player and current Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong as a potential successor to Kyle Walker.
The Citizens are currently second in the Premier League and are five points from leaders Liverpool, with the champions having lost their last four games in all competitions.
Manager Pep Guardiola had previously never lost four consecutive matches, but his side have looked unusually vulnerable defensively, particularly in during counter-attacks.
Defenders such as Walker have come in for criticism this season, with right-back having struggled against direct forwards in games such as against Bournemouth and Fulham.
It would not be surprising if Guardiola was to push for reinforcements in January, and Football Insider now claim that City view 23-year-old Frimpong as an ideal signing to replace the 34-year-old Englishman.
![Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen against Real Betis, on August 10, 2024 [on August 15, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/33/jeremie-frimpong.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen against Real Betis, on August 10, 2024 [on August 15, 2024]")
© Imago
Ideal Walker replacement?
Though Walker has won numerous trophies during his time in Manchester and also established himself as a regular under Gareth Southgate for the England national team, the right-back's ability to contribute offensively has long been questioned.
Pundits such as Gary Neville have praised the player for his defensive level, with the Englishman seen as a defence-first alternative to full-backs such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James.
However, it would be fair to suggest that he is not nearly as comfortable on the ball as the aforementioned pair, and perhaps Manchester City could benefit from Frimpong's immense attacking output.
The former Citizen was rampant for Leverkusen in the final third last season racking up 14 goals and 10 assists, and these figures look even more impressive when considering that Walker has only scored six goals and registered 22 assists for City in his entire career to date.
Given the waning influence of players such as Kevin De Bruyne, ensuring that Erling Haaland continues to have a consistent supply line could be a sensible move.
© Imago
Defensive concerns?
Walker has often relied on his exceptional pace and physical prowess to help him recover against attackers, shuttling them away from dangerous areas and preventing them from charging through on goal.
The ageing right-back has found it difficult to maintain his defensive level this campaign, with Walker part of a backline that has conceded 13 goals in 11 Premier League games, as well as 10 goals in their last four outings.
While Frimpong might offer City a new attacking dynamic during offensive phases, it remains to be seen whether the Dutchman's ability without the ball would be an improvement upon this iteration of Walker.
Frimpong has primarily been utilised as a wing-back during his Leverkusen career in a 3-4-3 system, with the player often given freedom to overload opposition defences and crash into the penalty area.
This season, the Bundesliga champions have conceded 16 league goals in just 10 games, just eight fewer than they did in the entirety of 2023-24.
The Dutchman could take time to adapt to playing in a back four under Guardiola should a transfer materialise, but there is no doubting his incredible talent.
Lewis Nolan
