Former Celtic defender Christopher Jullien has tipped ex-teammate Jeremie Frimpong for a big move this summer, as he continues to impress in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.
The Montpellier defender spent one and a half seasons with the Netherlands international, who left Scotland for his current club in January 2021. Since then, he has gone on to make 186 appearances for Xabi Alonso’s side, as well as 12 appearances for his national team, winning the Bundesliga with the former last season.
Recalling his time spent with the speedy wing-back, Jullien knew straight away he was destined for big things. “I told our new right-back at Montpelier about the story of Jeremie, and how football goes so fast,”, he told The Celtic Way.
“I remember during the transfer window, he was not even in the team, and that he joined on Deadline Day or something like that. Then, after the international break that September, he began training with us, joined the squad, and made his debut two or three weeks later.
“He was just unbelievable - you could not take him out of the team. Now, he is doing well at Bayer Leverkusen, and I think he will probably do even more at other clubs, because I did see that there were a lot of clubs interested in him.
“I am happy for him, because he deserves it. He has a good mentality, he is a good lad, and he deserves every inch of everything that he is doing.
“What a result for him.”
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Since catching the eye for Leverkusen – particularly under the management of Alonso – the right wing-back has been touted for a big move, despite his current club still on the hunt for the German league title.
While Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have been linked in recent months, soon-to-be Premier League champions Liverpool are the favourites to land the 24-year-old, who progressed through Manchester City’s academy. “Wow, that would be crazy”, insisted Jullien, when asked if Frimpong could ply his trade for Arne Slot’s side next season.
“Yeah, I think that he has the quality for it, though. He has shown it at the highest level against big opponents with Leverkusen, and I think he would be up for the challenge. He’s a really good player.”
Jullien continued: “In the locker room, he always had a smile on his face. You could see his true character, and how he was. He was not faking it, and I think that is the best part that a human can be.
"Even after we had finished running, he brought energy to the group - he worked very hard."
Celtic will have a keen interest in Frimpong’s future transfer movements, as they attached a 30 per cent profit sell-on fee into the deal they made with Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021.
The club banked an £11 million profit on the player, as they sold Frimpong for a reported £11.5 million, just 18 months on from his £500k move from Manchester City.
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