Arsenal choose next right back with €40m release clause

Carlo Garganese

• 7 Jan 2024 11:52 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal have abandoned any plans to sign a right-back in January, as they are now ready to wait until the summer transfer window in order to buy Jeremie Frimpong.

That is according to Bild, who report that Arsenal have been made aware of Frimpong’s bargain release clause which will become active at the end of the season.

Bayer Leverkusen right back Frimpong has a €40 million clause in his contract that only becomes active in July.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a big fan of Frimpong and would rather wait until the summer to sign Frimpong than buy a player with lesser quality in January.

Bild reports that Arsenal had initially been planning to sign a right-back this month as the position has become something of a weakness.

Ben White has often been utilised at right-back but is naturally a centre back. Takehiro Tomiyasu is not seen as the ideal solution and is often injured, while summer signing Jurrien Timber is also out with a long-term injury and is regarded as better at centre back, too.

Frimpoong in 2023-24

The 23-year-old Frimpong is enjoying a brilliant season for Leverkusen, providing five goals and six assists from 16 Bundesliga games. He has seven goals and nine assists in all competitions, fantastic numbers for a player in his position.

Frimpong’s form has been important in Leverkusen topping the Bundesliga table and threatening to end Bayern Munich’s dominance in Germany over the last decade.

The defender was a youth team player at Man City from 2010 to 2019 before joining Celtic for two seasons.

He moved to Leverkusen in 2021 and has since played over 100 times for the club.

Frimpong has only been capped once by the Netherlands national team, a fact that has caused a heated debate in the country.