The sporting director who brought Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool 18 months ago is now running recruitment at the club where intermediaries are pitching him next.
Richard Hughes left Anfield in September to become sporting director of Al-Hilal, and according to Goal, intermediaries have now put Frimpong forward as a target for his new club. The 25-year-old Netherlands international is said to be open to the switch, less than two years into a contract that runs to 2030.
Yahoo Sports reports there has been no official confirmation of talks between the clubs, no formal bid and no agreed fee. For now this is a rumour, not a transaction.
The injury record behind it
Frimpong joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025 for €40m, brought in to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold after the full-back’s move to Real Madrid. His time at Anfield has been shaped by the treatment room ever since.
Read also: Gary Lineker faces backlash over Fallon Sherrock remark after £501,000 Luke Littler cictory
SportBible writes that the Dutchman has missed 30 matches since the start of last season. His maiden campaign brought 35 appearances across all competitions, 21 of them in the Premier League. This season he has played five Premier League games for a total of 201 minutes, without a goal or assist, though he has one goal and two assists in two Champions League outings.
The latest setback came on 17 October, when he lasted barely moments as a half-time substitute in a 2-1 win over Brentford before pulling up with a muscular injury. He is already ruled out of Liverpool’s visit to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Hughes file reopens
Hughes signed off on the Frimpong deal during his time as Liverpool’s sporting director, having arrived from Bournemouth in 2024 to oversee the transition out of the Jurgen Klopp era. He stepped down on 6 September and was in Riyadh within days, with Al-Hilal’s board confirming his contract on arrival.
Al-Hilal, coached by Simone Inzaghi, top the Saudi Pro League. For Hughes, the file on Frimpong is a familiar one. For Liverpool, the signing is looking like one of the weaker returns of the post-Klopp rebuild: a right-back signed for €40m who has missed 30 matches to injury since joining.
Read also: Max Verstappen cuts practice short as Red Bull rush to fix problems before qualifying
Iraola inherits the problem
Andoni Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot at Liverpool in June, inherited the Frimpong fitness file and has been managing it ever since. The Spaniard’s squad has been without the Dutchman for most of his opening months in charge.
No bid has been tabled, and no negotiations have been confirmed. Frimpong remains a Liverpool player, under contract at Anfield until June 2030.
Read also: Stephen Curry surpasses NBA legend Oscar Robertson and closes in on another historic milestone
