Liverpool’s Summer Statement: Wirtz, Frimpong & Kerkez — Building the Next Dynasty
Fresh off a Premier League title, Liverpool waste no time. Through the data lens, we unpack their three major signings and what they signal for Slot’s rebuild.
Introduction
Liverpool are champions again but this time, they’re not pausing to celebrate. With the ink barely dry on the Premier League trophy, the Reds have already reinforced their squad with three high-upside signings: Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez.
This isn't just summer business. It's a statement of intent. A clear signal that Slot’s project is evolving into a new act : one shaped around mobility, creativity, and tactical versatility. These aren't just talented players; they represent a strategic recalibration.
In this breakdown, we’ll explore the data profiles of each signing, their percentile dominance, stylistic traits, and similarity to elite peers to understand why Liverpool moved quickly, and what these moves mean for the future of the club.
🧩 Jeremie Frimpong – The Wingback Built for Chaos
From Bayer Leverkusen’s historic season to Anfield’s touchline — Frimpong is a speedster wildcard ready to redefine Liverpool’s flanks.
When discussing Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga title run, Jeremie Frimpong’s name isn’t just a supporting actor — he’s one of the main characters. A blur on the right wing, his contributions were pivotal in turning defense into lightning-fast attack, slicing through opposition lines with his explosive acceleration, ball control, and positional versatility.
Now, as Liverpool secure his signature, Frimpong is set to introduce an entirely new dynamic to their right flank. But don’t expect him to simply slot into Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shoes — their profiles tell different stories. If anything, Frimpong’s percentile radar screams winger more than traditional fullback.
🔍 Percentile Profile Breakdown
Frimpong isn’t your average right-back — he’s an offensive catalyst:
Touches in Attacking Penalty Area (100th percentile): Operating more like a winger than a defender, his positioning screams final-third dominance.
Goal-Creating Actions (95th), xG+xAG (97th), Assists (92nd): He isn’t just arriving in the box — he’s making things happen.
Carries into Penalty Area (99th) & Progressive Carries (98th): Highlights his relentless intent to drive into danger zones.
Shots per 90 (96th) & Goals + Assists per 90 (98th): Attacking output comparable to some forwards.
What’s striking is that these numbers belong to a defender. In reality, Frimpong is a transitional hybrid — not quite a winger, not a classic full-back. He is chaos, but calculated.
🧬 Player Similarity Insights
Looking at his similarity data, Frimpong finds himself aligned with a wide spectrum of profiles:
Sergio Carreira, Matías Soulé, Vanderson: Players with attacking instincts from deeper zones or wide areas.
Matheus Nunes, Samuel Lino, Hugo Álvarez: Profiles that operate in hybrid wide/central roles.
Even Achraf Hakimi and Jules Koundé show up — two elite-level players with strong offensive contributions from defense.
What this tells us is that Frimpong isn’t easily boxed into one role. The fact that he’s statistically close to Matías Soulé, who carried Roma’s attack late last season as a direct, tricky winger, reinforces how progressive and aggressive Frimpong’s game truly is.
⚡ Tactical Fit at Liverpool
While Trent Alexander-Arnold has mastered the role of an inverted playmaker, Frimpong thrives with verticality and width. Expect Slot (or his successor) to explore flexible systems — perhaps 3-at-the-back shapes where Frimpong can bomb forward without restraint.
Whether deployed as a wingback or advanced wide outlet, he promises to bring unpredictability, pace, and ruthless progression to Liverpool's transitions — perfect for counter-heavy games or breaking down tight blocks.
🚀 Milos Kerkez: The Left-Sided Upgrade Liverpool Were Waiting For
After a brilliant breakout season with Bournemouth, Milos Kerkez emerges not just as a promising young fullback—but potentially one of Europe’s most complete left-sided players. His 2024–25 percentile chart shows a player combining elite offensive output with a solid defensive foundation, drawing parallels to a peak Andy Robertson—but with even sharper attacking precision.
📊 By the Numbers:
Kerkez ranks:
95th percentile for Carries into Final Third per90
92nd percentile for Progressive Passes Received per90
95th percentile for Crosses into Final Third per90
90th+ percentile in key attacking metrics like Touches in Attacking Third, Carries into Penalty Area, and Passes into Penalty Area
His consistency across both the build-up and chance-creation phases shows a profile well beyond his age—and more importantly, perfectly tailored to a side like Liverpool that thrives off dynamic fullback play.
🔁 Similar Profiles:
Kerkez’s style and impact match with some of the best:
Davide Zappacosta (98%) – A wing-back with elite attacking thrust
Achraf Hakimi (94%) – One of the world’s most explosive wide defenders
Álex Grimaldo, Nuno Mendes, Alejandro Baldé – All attacking-minded modern fullbacks
Antonee Robinson (94.3%) – Similar in work rate, overlap quality, and final-third presence
The appearance of names from elite European clubs underlines how elite Kerkez’s 2024–25 season was—and how rare his blend of traits is at his age.
🔴 Liverpool's Left Flank Reimagined
As discussed in our January piece, Liverpool’s long-standing reliance on Robertson was nearing a breaking point. While Robbo remains a club icon, Kerkez is shaping up to be an upgrade—a younger, more incisive, and arguably more balanced presence. With Kerkez now signed, Liverpool’s left side gains a new edge: more unpredictability, more precision, and a tireless engine to match Liverpool’s intensity.
Replacing a player like Kerkez for Bournemouth will be a tall order—his departure leaves a tactical and statistical void few can fill.
🧠 Florian Wirtz — The Crown Jewel of Leverkusen’s Revolution
There’s no need to introduce Florian Wirtz — we’ve all seen the magic. But now, Liverpool fans will get to witness it firsthand.
Wirtz was the brain and the heart behind Bayer Leverkusen’s Invincible campaign — a modern playmaker whose influence stretched across every blade of grass. His 2024-25 radar is a dream for any tactician:
Goal-Creating Actions: 100th percentile
Progressive Carries: 96th percentile
Through Balls: 99th percentile
Progressive Pass Distance Carried: 95th percentile
xG + xAG (non-penalty): 98th percentile
He blends elite final-third presence (100th percentile touches) with deep-lying progression, boasting 95th percentile passes into the penalty area and 98th percentile Shot-Creating Actions. That makes him incredibly fluid — he’s as comfortable breaking lines with a carry as he is slicing them with a pass.
📊 And the company he keeps?
Wirtz is statistically aligned with some of the finest creative talents in Europe:
Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Désiré Doué, Xavi Simons, Jamal Musiala... all elite hybrid creators capable of changing games on their own.
He’s not just a traditional No.10 — he’s a positional play chameleon. One who can drift wide, drop into build-up, or arrive late in the box.
Wirtz represents continuity in innovation. Under Slot, he could be the glue linking Liverpool’s phases of play in a way no one else in the squad quite can.
Wirtz doesn’t just read the game.
He rewrites it.
🔴 The New Spine of Liverpool
In Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Florian Wirtz, Liverpool haven’t just signed talent — they’ve signed purpose. Each player brings a different tone to the same symphony:
Frimpong offers width, unpredictability, and direct attacking thrust.
Kerkez brings modern fullback dominance, with balance between aggression and discipline.
Wirtz is the fulcrum — the brain who orchestrates chaos into clarity.
This isn’t just smart recruitment — it’s strategic evolution. After reclaiming the Premier League, Liverpool are wasting no time in reshaping their core to stay ahead of the curve. All three players are under 24, all are versatile, and all are statistically elite in their roles.
The rebuild is not only real — it’s accelerated.
This is how dynasties stay alive.
And if these signings gel as their profiles suggest, Liverpool may not just be Premier League champions — they could be setting the stage for a new era of dominance at home and in Europe.
The message is clear:
The next chapter at Anfield has already begun.