Manchester United are believed to have begun negotiations regarding a deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender, Jeremie Frimpong, as manager Erik ten Hag seeks to bolster his full-back options.
What's the latest on Frimpong to Man United?
According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils are believed to be discussing a move for the 22-year-old with the player's representatives, with the former Celtic man said to be eyeing a potential exit from the BayArena this summer.
Writing on Twitter regarding that interest, the transfer insider revealed: "News #Frimpong: Talks between his agent Jeffrey Lemmert and @ManUtd have started! 1st round was very positive. Ten Hag admires the player. Frimpong is open to leave Leverkusen in summer. Contract until 2025."
This follows a previous report from Football Insider that claimed United had made a move for the Netherlands international, with there said to be a 'belief' that a deal can be agreed for a fee of around £35m.
Would Frimpong be a good fit at Man United?
As The Athletic revealed on Monday, 'an attacking right-back will come on the agenda' should the Old Trafford outfit part ways with Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the end of the season, with the Englishman having previously been linked with a departure ahead of the January window, as well as prior to the start of the current campaign.
Despite enjoying something of a resurgence since the World Cup, the 25-year-old has still only contributed one assist this season in 22 outings as a marker of shortcomings in attack, having previously been branded "useless" on the ball by club legend Paul Scholes.
The former Crystal Palace man's exit would seemingly ensure that Diogo Dalot stays put at the Theatre of Dreams, although even the Portugal international has flattered to deceive at times so far this term, providing just one goal and three assists in 33 games across all fronts.
The pair's rather meagre attacking record is no doubt inferior to that of Frimpong, with the "dangerous" machine – as previously hailed by Riga boss Mihails Koņevs – having contributed eight goals and nine assists in all competitions so far this term.
The Amsterdam native – who can feature at wing-back or as a forward-thinking full-back – would seemingly be the defensive gem that Ten Hag is likely craving, with the 5 foot 7 ace able to potentially form a stellar partnership with Raphael Varane on the right side of the backline.
The towering, 6 foot 3 Frenchman would no doubt be able to offer a greater physical presence alongside the diminutive Frimpong, with Varane having won an impressive 71% of his aerial duels in the Premier League this season, while also showcasing his composure on the ball by enjoying a pass accuracy rate of 86%.
Having that stable and experienced figure at centre-back would seemingly give the Leverkusen man the licence to get forward down the right flank, with the one-time Manchester City asset ranking in the top 1% among those in his position in Europe for progressive carries, successful take-ons and touches in the attacking penalty area, laying bare that willingness to impact proceedings in the final third.
While still relatively inexperienced at senior level after making his debut back in 2019 during his time in Glasgow, Frimpong would also likely benefit from having a wise-old head like Varane alongside him, with the 29-year-old having enjoyed success at the highest level of the game after tasting World Cup and Champions League glory over the years.
As Ten Hag himself stated, the former Real Madrid ace is a "leader" who "puts everyone in the right position", ensuring that Varane could well help to make the transition to life in England far easier for the young Dutchman.