EXCLUSIVE: Former Liverpool star opens up on unbelievable experience with Jeremie Frimpong

For Jeremie Frimpong, Liverpool was always his first choice.

The Reds had first approached to sign him as a nine-year-old. But as a young kid, his circumstances pushed him on a different path.

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The long drive to Liverpool's academy centre in Kirkby proved an insurmountable task for his parents. Instead the nearby academy complex at Manchester City seemed like the more practical solution.

But what's meant to be will always find its way. And over a decade later, Frimpong is now a Liverpool player.

"I'd definitely say if Jeremie was at Liverpool, he would have got in the first team a lot sooner," Frimpong's former Manchester City academy teammate, Joe Hardy recalls exclusively to Anfield Watch.

"But you know, it's it swings around about really," Hardy says.

"Leaving City to go abroad to then come back to Liverpool - the Premier League champions. I mean I think it's worked out."

Worked out it has. Although this was never really something anyone at City's academy doubted.

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"He was always one of the ones," Hardy says.

"I think he was around the same age as Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Cole Palmer, I think he was in the same age as those guys. But Jeremie was the one I remember at under 18. He was the one that would come up from their age group and train and play with us.

"And he was always such a top lad. So funny.

"He was such a small quick player and he came and he dealt with playing against players two years older and playing right-back and he kind of got himself into a position where he was the starting right-back in the U18 team when he was still only 15 or 16-years-old."

Small in stature but one of the fastest players in the academy, Frimpong made up for what he lacked in size with his quality.

"He wasn't too big, but he could deal. He was a top player, rapid," Hardy says.

"Strong for his size and but mainly just in and around the obviously socially, when you go up a couple of age groups, sometimes people struggle. But everyone who he came into contact with absolutely loved him

"It's the way he makes people laugh. What he's like everyday in training. He's a joy to be around. Just a great lad."

Being a striker, Hardy came up against Frimpong frequently in training and admits it was difficult to beat him due to his defensive prowess.

"It's one of those where if you try and beat him for pace, you know he's quick, you're gonna have to be at your top," Hardy says.

"It's really tough to get past him. I know that the Premier League has got some fantastic wide forward players and whatnot, but he will be able to deal with it defensively. One vs one, I can't see many people get past him and with his pace and his power, it is difficult to get around.

"It's the fact that he can recover as well with his pace and his agility. He's obviously got a light frame. He can get around, he can turn, and he's not afraid to put his foot in either."

One of the most promising players in the academy set-up at Manchester City, Frimpong never made a first team appearance for Pep Guardiola's side.

Hardy admits it was a surprise to see him leave for Celtic but that it was a decision that made sense given he was competing for a first team spot against the likes of Kyle Walker.

"It's one of those, you know, he's gonna be professional footballer, but you just don't know where. And I would say there's not many harder places to do it than than at City because obviously you can see what the team has done under Pep," Hardy says.

"Obviously Cole [Palmer] as well. But Jeremy was playing up instead of Cole throughout the Academy. So yeah, maybe a little I was surprised but you just have to look at the competition.

"They obviously had Kyle Walker and it's one of those where no matter how good you are and until you're actually better than what's there, then there's nothing really you can do."

Frimpong's willingness to make a bold step paid off. He'd gone from Celtic to becoming a Bundesliga champion and then returning back to England to play for Liverpool.

Incidentally, Hardy himself represented the Reds after leaving City's academy and even made a first team appearance under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

"I'm excited for him I'm really excited because it's probably not until he puts the shirt on at Anfield that he realises how big of a move it is," Hardy says.

"Obviously he knows he is joining the Premier League Champions but until he puts the shirt on and he's playing at Anfield under the lights, that's when he'll realise how big of a club it is and how special it actually really is for him."

"When I signed, Liverpool had just won the Champions League. So it was like 'wow this is massive' and then even until you actually get out on the pitch and you wearing the badge and all my friends are scousers and it means more than what you'd expect.

"So I'm just excited for him personally because he's done the right thing. He would never turn down Liverpool. He's done the right thing going."

Moving from Leverkusen to Liverpool is a step-up, Hardy believes Frimpong is 100% ready for.

"The way he can cover ground, the way he can get up and down, he's technically brilliant so he can get up and and use his speed to get past players, but he can recover so quickly as well. So if he does get himself up there, he's quick enough to get himself back as well and that's probably how he was able to deal with coming up and playing with us.

"I think the leap to Liverpool, where he'll need to run even more and use his speed even more physically in the Premier League, will suit him."

Having played at Liverpool, Hardy knows the competition Frimpong will be up against really well. During his time at Anfield, the former Manchester City academy forward played alongside Conor Bradley.

"He's very similar to Conor Bradley. He is very similar. They are very much Liverpool fullbacks. Like Andy Robertson on the on the other side. They are very much speed, pace, power. Technically brilliant. Going forward, defending," Hardy says.

"I've played with Conor. Obviously a lot. And they're very similar in how they play.

"I can't speak highly of both of them. I just know that the time I've had had with Jeremie, he's such a top lad that everyone's gonna gonna fall in love with him. He's really brilliant."

The prospect of the duo competing for the right-back spot is something Hardy is looking forward to.

"It's really exciting to be fair because Conor obviously now has the experience and he's a year in of being in and around the first team properly," Hardy says.

"So those two battling it out for that one position, it's going to be brilliant for the club and for the team. They both know whoever starts, they're gonna have to perform rather than one of them feeling too comfortable.

"Maybe Jeremie is gonna come in and blow everyone away. Who knows? I know how good of a player he is. You know he can be capable of doing that, but Conor Bradley is also a top, top player and he's obviously got that experience and he's obviously kept Trent [Alexander-Arnold] out of the team often last season.

"So things like that, it's gonna be good for the team, good for the club, good for each other to have that, that competition."

Having gone through the academy system together, Hardy is confident Frimpong is going to be a massive success at Liverpool.

"Day-to-day in the training ground and what he was like in school, he is always having a laugh, he is always having fun. Everyone's always you know, there's always something funny going on when Jeremie is there," Hardy says.

"Anyone that's come into contact with him only speaks good things of him and he's gonna fit straight in.

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"He's probably gonna be there after a week, and everyone's gonna be like; 'wow, I feel like he's been here for ages.' He's just a top lad."