Frimpong Excluded from Netherlands Squad, Watches from Stands

Liverpool player Jeremie Frimpong will not participate in the Netherlands' Nations League match against Serbia, instead watching from the stands. The 25-year-old is the only player on international duty with the Dutch national team who has not been included in manager Xavi's 23-man squad for the fixture.

Frimpong was on the bench for the previous match against Germany, a 1-1 draw, but his absence from the official UEFA squad list indicates he has not retained his place. Arsenal's Jurrien Timber, who was previously sidelined with injury, has been added to the squad in Frimpong's place.

The exclusion comes as Frimpong has reportedly struggled with consistent form at Liverpool this season, featuring in only three of the club's five Premier League games. Despite this setback, he still has opportunities to improve his international standing with upcoming matches against Greece and another fixture against Serbia.

Since his Netherlands debut in 2023, Frimpong has made 15 appearances for his country. He was previously left out of the squad for the summer's World Cup by Ronald Koeman following a less than convincing first campaign at Liverpool. The club activated his £29.5 million release clause to sign him from Bayer Leverkusen, where he had won the Bundesliga title under Xabi Alonso. However, in his debut Premier League season, Frimpong recorded no goals and only one assist, despite being known for his attacking contributions.

Liverpool experienced difficulties in maintaining balance under Arne Slot, often leaving wide areas exposed when Frimpong and Milos Kerkez pushed forward without adequate midfield support. The current manager, Iraola, is reportedly facing a similar challenge. Frimpong is currently in competition for the right-back position with Ronald Araujo, a seasoned player on loan from Barcelona.

Frimpong's potential remains high, evidenced by his performance in the 2023-24 season with Bayer Leverkusen, where he contributed 14 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, as the team narrowly missed out on an unbeaten domestic season and a European title.

While stepping into the role previously held by Trent Alexander-Arnold was always anticipated to be a significant challenge, Frimpong arrived with the credentials to potentially fill that void.