It's over, Liverpool star now relying on €80m gamble to save career

One Liverpool star appears to have no way back. He’s depending on a €80m gamble to get things back on track.

Liverpool have made some big decisions this season as Andoni Iraola looks to build a team out of this group. Of course, most of those decisions came in the transfer window.

But we’ve seen plenty of them since the season started, too. Midfield has been a massive one – Trey Nyoni’s role in the squad continues to get stronger and stronger.

Ryan Gravenberch no longer seems to have a place as the main holding midfielder, too, while Lewis Koumas is certainly the no.2 striker in the squad (at least until Hugo Ekitike reappears).

But maybe one much bigger decision has been made. One that essentially calls time on one player’s Liverpool career.

Jeremie Frimpong has no way back

Ronald Araujo has been a revelation. We imagine the initial plan with him was to be a centre-back but fortunately, Jeremy Jacquet has been so good that it makes more sense to use him as a first-choice.

That’s allowed Araujo to lock down a position at right-back. The Uruguayan isn’t a modern-day full-back in that he’s not exactly creating chances or offering much width, but he’s a rock-solid defensive force there.

And that’s allowed for Liverpool to act without an overlapping player for the winger on that side. They’ve essentially got full license to attack in any way they’d like and it’s working.

Rio Ngumoha and Bradley Barcola – both wingers who prefer to attack down the line on that side – have had massively positive impacts in both of Liverpool’s last two games. Having a defence-first full-back before them only helps in that.

Not only that, but it’s reduced the need for a defensive midfielder. Liverpool have had more security with a defensive full-back. It also means the right-sided centre-back isn’t needed to constantly cover on that side.

But this strategy means is bad news for Jeremie Frimpong. The Dutchman is essentially the opposite of Araujo – a pure attacking player who unquestionably has an effect on the winger in front of him.

Having him there asks for more cover from the centre-back, too, suddenly making the need for a defensive midfielder paramount. And so it feels right now like Frimpong can only thrive at Liverpool if they do sign that defensive midfielder – and that the signing is an overwhelming success.