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Fullname: Jeremie Agyekum Frimpong
aka: Jeremie Frimpong
Born: 10 December 2000
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Signed: 2 Sep 2019 (from Man City, est £1m, £350k upfront plus addons)
Left: 27 Jan 2021 (to Bayer Leverkusen, est £10m less cut to Man City plus add ons)
Position: Defender, Right back
Debut: Celtic 5-0 Partick Thistle, League Cup, 25 Sep 2019
Squad No.: 30
Internationals: ? [which international team played for]
International Caps: ? [complete at end of career]
International Goals: ? [complete at end of career]
Biog
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“Oh my days!”
Frimpong after League Cup final win (Dec 2019)
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Reputedly an “agile, attacking full-back”, Frimpong arrived at Celtic in September 2019 from the Man City youth rank. Man City were the top dogs at this point in England having won the league, so impossible to break into for any young player.
So he made the move up north to a Celtic squad with Neil Lennon having just taken over for his second stint as manager, and needing to reboot the defence which was much under attack and had just lost the ageing but popular Lustig.
Frimpong though was to most often sit in the queue behind players like Hatem & Bauer to wait for a place in the first team but he was still young. He was given his debut in a match v Partick Thistle in the league cup quarter-finals, giving the others a rest, and regardless of an easy 5-0 win for Celtic, he gave an excellent report of himself and won the man of the match award. It was his very first First Team game for any club.
One of the more celebrated moments in his early days at Celtic was a bit double edged. In the league cup final in season 2019/20, he was sent off and conceded a penalty to Sevco, when Celtic had gone 1-0 up despite being punished through the match. Incredibly, Celtic’s keeper saved the shot, and went on to lift the title, on the back of which the glowing face of Frimpong in the post-match interviews was a joy to behold as he took pride in his first senior medal exclaiming: “Oh my days!”.
As a player he was fast, dedicated and committed to making long runs up the field to make chances as well as make challenges where needed. Not a tall player, so relied on skill and pace to be his strongest points, and he was a developing attacking full-back or wing-back. Maybe his best role would have been more in midfield, but he was placed in the full-back role, as various others have started out as in the past.
He ended up playing a greater role than expected, especially with Hatem being injured repeatedly. Frimpong was progressing and showing some fine form, helping Celtic to completed the quadruple treble and nine-in-a-row. Much to respect there.
Problem was that after such a bright start, his form seemed to stall if not go into reverse. Season 2020/21 was a disaster for Celtic in the Covid-era, with a poorly managed squad under Lennon underperforming across the board and handing over the league title without much challenged. Frimpong was seen as not providing enough, especially in a very shambolic defence. His attacking prowess was seen as not providing enough (his cross balls was not direct or accurate enough), and his lack of defensive nous was frustrating many supporters. Didn’t help that main man Forrest who played on the right wing was out most of the 2020/21 season, which hampered Frimpong as they linked up together down that line.
He was still young, and playing against some hammer throwers with partisan refereeing wasn’t helping. He needed a mentor, but the defence was a shambles with no leadership to turn it around. The underfire manager (Lennon) did have confidence in him.
Not that anyone really wanted him to leave, all still saw him as a future prospect with development. Yet in January 2021 a surprise transfer came about to Germany to Bayer Leverkusen, and in truth the general reception was mixed from the support. The support was up in arms after so far a shambolic failed league title challenge for ten-in-a-row, and it was a terrible environment for any player to be in. It wasn’t helped by the covid-pandemic locking down players at home in isolated bubbles, away from family & close friends for those from abroad.
For a transfer fee of £10m (albeit with Man City to take a reported 30% cut) possibly to the rise with add ons, for a revenue starved Celtic in the covid-era, it was an easy decision for the board, especially as Frimpong had told the manager he wanted to take up the move:
“He’s come in for £300,000 and we could sell him for a huge amount of money, so it’s credit to the development of the player himself and what myself and the coaches and club have done for him. I wouldn’t say he was unhappy, just ambitious, maybe, or he wanted to try something else and progress his career at another club.” (Neil Lennon)
A cynic couldn’t blame him for leaving Celtic as and when he did. Celtic were in freefall in season 2020/21, and critics scathed that no player had advanced under Lennon, and actually plenty were poorer. It was a poor environment to be playing under, a season when Celtic had collapsed and gave Sevco a free run to the league title.
He was to leave with our best wishes, and we were sure we would see him again in some form in the future. He came to Celtic and made a big effort without any issues, and that is much to admire and respect.
We wished him well.
Post-Celtic
He had a quick return to Celtic Park, when in September 2021 his Bayer Leverkusen side faced Celtic in the Europa League. Despite any petty booing by some in the stands (easily ignored), he had a fine game and spoke well of the atmosphere and being back at Celtic in the 4-0 victory for the German side.
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Quotes
“Agile, attacking full-back, A truly modern full back who can play on both sides of the pitch, Jeremie is comfortable in attack and defence and is always willing to overlap his winger and provide an attacking outlet.”
Man City biog, https://www.mancity.com/players/jeremie-frimpong (2019)
“He’s really impressed us in training and it was a great debut for him. He’s very quick, strong for his size and very good on the ball. We’re hoping for big things from Jeremie as he goes along. I thought he was very good, very infectious. What you saw is what we’re seeing in training. He took the opportunity to play off the back of Moritz Bauer being out. He can be delighted with his night’s work and it’s a good start. Frimpong is battling for a first-team place. As soon as we brought him in, he has excelled. We feel he could be a really good player here.”
Neil Lennon just after Frimpong’s debut (Sep 2019)
“When it got announced, I thought: ‘What’s going on?’. I looked up the screen and it said Jeremie is Man of the Match and the bench were all shouting to me: ‘Jeremie, Jeremie, Jeremie’, and then they all went: ‘Wheeeyyyy!’ “I was like: ‘Oh,my gosh’ – and I can’t even stop smiling now.”
Frimpong on his debut, and winning the MOTM award (Sep 2019)
“Jeremie is infectious and adds real energy and quality. Him and Jamesie have a great partnership down the right”.
Neil Lennon (Oct 2019)
“I know 100 per cent that this was the right decision to come to Celtic. It’s an amazing club to be a part of and I know I can fulfil my potential here, so it’s really good.”
Frimpong (Oct 2019)
“Oh my days!”
Frimpong after League Cup title (Dec 2019)
“My time at Celtic was amazing. I won everything there. There was this manager called Neil Lennon. I love him till this day. He loves me. Our relationship was like father and son. Sometimes the players would say go and speak to your dad and things like that. After we won the cup I think I ran to him and we both started laughing.”
Frimpong (2023)
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2019-20 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 21 |
| Goals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Assists | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 30 |
| Goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 36 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 51 |
| Goals | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Honours with Celtic
Pictures
KDS
Articles
Who is Jeremie Frimpong?
Five things Celtic fans should know about their new recruit from Manchester City
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/09/04/who-is-jeremie-frimpong-five-things-celtic-fans-should-know-abou/
What’s his background? Born in Amsterdam, Frimpong joined Manchester City’s academy ranks at the age of nine and progressed all the way through to the Premier League champions’ Under-23 side. Despite being of Ghanaian descent, the 18-year-old has chosen to represent the country of his birth, Netherlands, at youth-team level.
~Where does he play? Predominantly a right-back, Frimpong can also provide cover on the left-hand side if required. Manchester City’s official website describes him as a”truly modern full-back who can play on both sides of the pitch,” adding that he is “comfortable in attack and defence and is always willing to overlap his winger and provide an attacking outlet.”
How did he end up at Celtic? Frimpong told the Bhoys’ official website that he first learned of his new club’s interest after playing against them for Manchester City’s U23s. “It wasn’t long after that I found out Celtic were interested in signing me,” he explained. “That was incredible, and as soon as I heard, I was excited and I wanted to take this opportunity.”#
How much will he cost Celtic? The Scottish champions have paid their English counterparts an initial £350,000 for Frimpong, with another £650,000 potentially due in add-ons, according to the Manchester Evening News. It is also claimed that City will receive 30 per cent of any transfer fee generated by Celtic.
Have Celtic signed him from under the nose of their biggest rivals? Frimpong should be known to the Rangers director of football, Mark Allen, having been on Manchester City’s books for the bulk of Allen’s reign as director of their academy. But there does not appear to have been any concrete interest from Rangers, who signed Frimpong’s ex-Etihad Stadium teammate, Brandon Barker, in the summer transfer window
Jeremie Frimpong determined to build on dream Celtic debut
By: Tony Connelly on 26 Sep, 2019 11:21http://www.celticfc.net/news/16861
JEREMIE Frimpong described his Celtic debut as a dream come true and said his ambitions to make it to the top are motivated by the desire to prove people wrong. Neil Lennon handed the 18-year-old full-back his Hoops debut in Wednesday night’s5-0 win against Partick Thistle in the League Cup quarter-final. Frimpong signed a four-year deal with Celtic, moving from Manchester City, and he has quickly worked his way into the manager’s plans despite his youth. That didn’t hold him back in last night’s game and the teenager impressed with a Man of the Match performance as Neil Lennon’s side booked their place inthe semi-final of the League Cup, where they will face Hibernian.
Speaking after the game, Frimpong was ecstatic to play his first game in the senior side. “It was amazing, a dream come true,” said Frimpong. “It was my first professional game and the fans – I love them already. To hear them when I came off was amazing. I’ve been trying to make a good impression and I found out two or three days ago I was starting. I played well and now I have to keep that going. “I’m very grateful that the manager gave me a chance. It’s a dream come true to play for Celtic. It’s the biggest club in Scotland so it’s amazing. My goal was to play for the first-team. I thought I was ready and I proved to the manager I was ready. He gave me a chance and hopefully I can do more.” The Dutch defender’s appearance in the starting line-up was not only his debut for Celtic but his competitive debut in senior football. And Frimpong said he was determined to build on his debut and show that he is capable of playing at the top. “There’s a big difference and you have to adapt to it, but it’s been really good,” he said. “I play football because I want to be the best right-back and I’m going to prove that. “You have to play with confidence if you want to be a footballer. If you want to be the best you have to play with confidence. Obviously don’t be cocky but just go out there and play your game. You can’t be nervous in front of these fans. They want you to show what you can do for the team and hopefully I can do that. “I’ve been working hard in training and I play football to prove people wrong and show them what I’ve got. That’s what I’ve been doing and I’m going to keep doing that.”
‘OH MY DAYS’ Celtic star Jeremie Frimpong screams new catchphrase ‘oh my days’ in hilarious video after Rangers win
Ewan Paton
9th December 2019, 7:25 am
Updated: 9th December 2019, 7:25 am
CELTIC starlet Jeremie Frimpong appears to have a new catchphrase.
“Oh my days!”
The teenage right-back hilariously screamed the saying in a selfie video on his official Instagram account as he celebrated the Hoops‘ Betfred Cup glory.
The 18-year-old was sent-off in Neil Lennon’s side’s 1-0 victory at Hampden over arch rivals Rangers, as they made it ten domestic trophies on the spin.
He gave away a penalty by fouling Alfredo Morelos moments after unlikely goal hero Christopher Jullien had fired Celtic in front.
However, luckily for ex-Manchester City kid, Fraser Forster was in inspired form as he stopped all shots that came his way during the blockbuster showdown.
The youngster holds the Betfred Cup
Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow
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The youngster holds the Betfred Cup
Taking to social media to convey his delight, the Dutchman beamed with joy.
With a big smile on his face, he shouted: “OH MY DAYS! YESSSSSSSSSS!”
The teen has proved an instant hit with the Hoops faithful since his summer move from City for a fee in the region of £350,000.
His enthusiasm and all-round bubbly personality seems to have captured the hearts of many as the right-back makes the position his own at Parkhead.
Speaking in other broadcast interviews after the final, he also repeated the same phrase.
He told the BBC: “Oh my days.
The 18-year-old is given his marching orders by referee Willie Collum
Willie Vass – The Sun
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The 18-year-old is given his marching orders by referee Willie Collum
“When I was sent off like that, I was inside panicking.
“Worst feeling ever. Every time Rangers got the ball I was just panicking.
“But then it felt like time was going so slow.
PARTY BHOYS Watch hilarious moment Celtic star Ryan Christie twerks on Scott Brown’s head in dressing room cup party
“The team held it through and obviously I was buzzing man, buzzing.”
The youngster also took to Twitter by saying: “Oh my days!
Celtic support and Neil Lennon caught in desperate dance as he explains Jeremie Frimpong exit and Liverpool similarities
It feels as if Neil Lennon and the Celtic support are hopelessly out of step.
By Andrew Smith
Wednesday, 27th January 2021, 7:00 am
The universal calls for him to be removed from his managerial post put the Irishman’s head in a spin. In turn, anything he says, anything that happens on his watch, has the fanbase flailing around. Lennon won’t get a hearing on anything from a support seething over Rangers rampage towards a title. A 23-point deficit in a league campaign expected to deliver the Holy Grail of 10-in-a-row has made sure of that. Yet even still, the vicious denigration of the 49-year-old extending for some to Jeremie Frimpong’s surprise exit was one more indication that perspective has left the building for many among the club’s followers.
Lennon’s inability to develop the 20-year-old this season was framed by this fraternity as the root cause behind the Dutchman travelling to Germany to finalise an £11million move to Bayer Leverkusen, expected to be completed in the next 24 hours. In reality, it would have been bonkers for the club to have turned down such an offer for a player who has appeared unhappy off the pitch for months. Certainly the past two, at least – the juncture when Leverkusen started to take a keen interest in a full-back. The Dutchman then rejecting a contract extension at the Glasgow side he joined from Manchester City for a fee rising to £1m in the summer of 2019. In that scenario, the only one outcome had little to do with Lennon.
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“The size of the offer was good business for the club and the fact is that he’d also come off it a little bit in his last few games, as though he’d been distracted by all the speculation surrounding the move,” said the Celtic manager, who admitted he felt “a little let down” by Frimpong. “It’s difficult when it’s a player you’ve helped to develop. You’re sorry to see him go but, eventually, he didn’t want to stay and progress here. There was a determination about him to go so we took our decision.”
All fairly standard football practice, as is Lennon’s contention the club will now look to recruit “a quality right-back” and maybe another player before the January window shuts. Nothing, though, is viewed through that prism where he and the Celtic support are concerned following four league games without a win going into the home encounter with Hamilton. Indeed, it is the same story when it comes to the Celtic board’s constantly-referenced January review of his position. For some, it is as if Lennon is to blame for this not prompting managerial change. “I speak to Peter [Lawwell, chief executive] every day. We talk about selling players, we talk about bringing players in and I take the training every day with my players. So my role hasn’t changed one bit.”
Lennon was asked if the review and the steady stream of managers now being linked with his position meant he had been left “twisting in the wind” by the Celtic board. His answer was one sure to infuriate those who long ago donned the black caps over his employment status.
“No, absolutely not,” he said. “I think I’ve had some great support from the board. I can’t control speculation or fake news, fake stories. That’s the way the world is now. I’m very comfortable with what I’m doing and I have great support from the board, Peter, and also my backroom team as well. So, no, I don’t feel isolated in any way, shape or form. I’m not happy with the way the season’s gone so far but I’m very comfortable with my role and pretty determined we get the best out of the rest of the season.”
Lennon knows results and performances have not been good enough. He stresses the “abnormal” Covid-19 circumstances that will see football played without fans for the entire season can’t explain all these away. Yet it’s not the outrage it will be presented as by his band of haters that he sees merit in the suggestion it may be more than simple coincidence Celtic’s downward spiral has been akin to that of Liverpool – the two clubs more than any others in the UK that have such symbiotic relationships with their supporters in their home environs.
“I think that is a fair comparison. I’m watching with interest how Liverpool are going this year,” he said. “There is a 30-point swing between them and Manchester United from this time last year. Now that’s not normal; it’s just not normal. Now Man United have improved, but not to the extent of it being a 30-point swing. Liverpool are probably finding things a little bit difficult the way we have, for some reason. It’s difficult to put your finger on it. Listen, I would not have enjoyed playing this season, as a player, with what I experienced at Celtic, or even Leicester in the Premier League. I would not have enjoyed it. You thrive on the atmosphere. It brings the best out in you. We talked for years of the European nights at Celtic Park where it lifted us to another level. The players have been bereft of that. Again, I’m not using that as an excuse. It’s part of the explanation, it’s not the total explanation. But I think it is a part of it that there has been a flatness about it and that comes from the lack of energy, atmosphere, rawness that normally the players would pick up on, thrive on.”