Jeremie Frimpong must convince Andoni Iraola as Liverpool consider transfer option

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Jeremie Frimpong was left out of the Holland squad for the World Cup and must now show he has a future at new-look LiverpoolIt's a position in which Jeremie Frimpong has found himself far too often during the last 12 months.As Liverpool team-mates Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo helped guide Holland to the top of their World Cup group and set up a mouthwatering round-of-32 clash with Morocco in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Frimpong was nowhere to be seen.The 25-year-old has been among those cut from the provisional Dutch squad by head coach Ronald Koeman, a reflection of his difficult first season at Anfield in which he spent significant stretches on the sidelines.To think Frimpong had been the first signing of what would transpire to be a busy summer in the transfer market when Liverpool triggered his £29.5million release clause at Bayer Leverkusen towards the end of last May.It should have given the Holland international the best opportunity to hit the ground running as he stepped into the sizeable shoes left by the departed Trent Alexander-Arnold.But the warning signs were there in the opening game against Bournemouth when Frimpong was forced off after an hour with a hamstring complaint, prompting the scene to be set both for the player and the position throughout a troubled campaign.A further hamstring complaint suffered early on at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League meant Frimpong didn't start another Premier League game until after Christmas, when he created a goal for Gravenbech in the narrow 2-1 home win over Wolves.That came during a period when Frimpong was far more effective as an attacking force and started several games on the right flank with Mohamed Salah away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.With his pace and direct running, Frimpong helped engineer goals at Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Marseille and offered Liverpool a different threat with Alexander Isak out.But a third hamstring setback when injured in the opening minutes against Qarabag in January was too much to overcome. True, Frimpong was back in action by the end of February, but his performances were nowhere near the level of his festive purple patch resulting ultimately in his World Cup absence.Frimpong started just 12 Premier League games of which only seven were at right-back.

Given Conor Bradley began only 12 - and was substituted at half-time in three of those - it meant Liverpool played half the top-flight season without either of the two main right-back options starting.Bradley has been absent since early January after suffering serious bone and ligament damage in his knee with no timescale set on his return.Liverpool were subsequently looking at right-back reinforcements in the New Year with an enquiry regarding Inter Milan's Denzil Dumfries and a loan offer for Lutsharel Geertrudia, who was at the time loaned to Sunderland from RB Leipzig.The deal, though, fell through, while any prospect of reigniting interest in Dumfries has been dashed by his move to Real Madrid earlier this month.The sacking of Arne Slot as head coach with Andoni Iraola his replacement has further shifted the landscape, with Liverpool now facing a decision at right-back.Do they look to sign another player and ease the immediate issue, or do they hold off given Bradley is the likely first choice on his return to fitness and run the risk of a repeat of last season's mixing and matching in the position?Regardless, the onus will be on Frimpong to begin realising his potential. With that no doubt in mind, he has been working to an individually-tailored training regime during his time off in Los Angeles with coach Nigus Kidane.And while the arrival of Iraola offers the opportunity of a fresh start, Frimpong will first have to convince the new head coach of his suitability and then, if Liverpool opt to stick with their present right-back options, assume greater responsibility for as long as Bradley remains ruled out.After such a frustrating and disappointing last 12 months, there is no shortage of incentive for the Dutchman to start delivering.