FC Bayern is interested
Bayer marvels at his extraordinary wing tongs
March 7, 2024, 7:06 a.m
Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo shine as goal scorers: Does Bayer Leverkusen currently have the best wingers in Europe? Coach Xabi Alonso avoids the question while the players make themselves interesting with their top performances. Among other things, for FC Bayern.
Jeremie Frimpong joked exuberantly with his teammates during the last training session before departure, and Alejandro Grimaldo once again showed his technical excellence when juggling the ball. The two wingers from Bayer Leverkusen are currently shaking up the Bundesliga with their goal threat – now they want to take Europe by storm too. “Crazy. They’re both having a brutal season,” said national player Jonathan Tah before the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday (6.45 p.m./RTL+, in the live ticker at ntv.de) in Baku against Qarabag Agdam – and added with a wink: “Every now and then they do something backwards.”
What is particularly impressive is the forward momentum, most recently Frimpong and Grimaldo scored the derby victory in Cologne (2-0) with their goals. The two have scored more goals together in the league than their Rhenish neighbor – and will make Bayer’s still missing striker goal forgotten in 2024. Left winger Grimaldo, who arrived on a free transfer from Benfica before the season, is said to be at the top of Real Madrid’s wish list alongside Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich. “A team that every player wants to go to,” emphasized the Spanish international in November, and his contract with Bayer runs until 2027.
Eleven goals and eleven assists in 33 competitive games speak for themselves. This means that in his first year, the former U19 European champion is one of the top scorers for Leverkusen, who, in addition to the Bundesliga and DFB Cup, also have a good chance of winning the title in the Europa League. Against group opponents from Azerbaijan in October, Grimaldo played his best game to date in black and red, contributing two goals and an assist in a 5-1 win. He was “somehow good everywhere, that makes it easy for me,” said Alonso in the first half. “We enjoy his quality. He is a great guy, great footballer and an example for the young players.”
One of these young guns is still Frimpong. The fun cannon with the distinctive goal dance has ten hits and ten assists in 30 games. Bayern should look into the famous 23-year-old Dutchman, Sky reported during the week. But his contract runs until 2028, and the exit clause in the summer should be 40 to 45 million. Frimpong’s “quality is straightforwardness,” said Andrich. Grimaldo, on the other hand, is “the much better footballer, stronger on the ball. He moves very well in the ranks, acts very cleverly as a kind of left-back, eight, ten.” So does Bayer currently have the best wing pliers in Europe? “I don’t know if the best, but they are very important for us,” said Alonso.