Real Madrid Identifies Potential Dani Carvajal Replacement, per Report

Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong is on Real Madrid's radar this summer.

Jeremie Frimpong continues to shine at Bayer Leverkusen / IMAGO/BSR Agency

Real Madrid is keeping close tabs on Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong's situation at the BayArena, according to a report form Sky Sports's Florian Plettenberg.

The link between Los Blancos and Frimpong comes after Dani Carvajal's season-ending knee injury earlier in the season vs. Villarreal. The 32-year-old recently extended his stay in Madrid for one more season until the summer of 2026 as he closes in on 430 appearances for the club.

Carvajal made his first-team debut in 2013 after spending the previous season on loan at Leverkusen. While he can still get the job done for the Spanish giants, it's time for Real Madrid to think of the future at the right-back position—which is where Frimpong comes into play.

Plettenberg reveals that the 15-time UEFA Champions League winners are "monitoring" Frimpong's situation at the BayArena ahead of the 2025 summer transfer window. The Dutch defender is a different kind of player compared to Carvajal in that he's more of a wing-back whereas the Real Madrid academy graduate is a fullback.

The report also states that Frimpong is unlikely to move this winter but Real Madrid could activate his €40 million ($43.6 million) release clause in the summer, which is a hefty price for a wing-back/fullback. Frimpong's contract runs through the 2027–28 Bundesliga season.

It would be interesting to see Real Madrid go back to Leverkusen to to help solve its right back problem just as it did for Carvajal's loan move for the 2012–13 season. Frimpong is known for his ability on the ball and blistering pace that allows him to breeze past opponents with ease and cause chaos in the final third.

Frimpong joined Scottish side Celtic after spending a few years in the Manchester City academy, quickly impressing before a reported $15 million move to Leverkusen in January 2021. The 23-year-old played recently made his 150th appearance for the club and played an integral part in Leverkusen's historic 2023–24 Bundesliga season.

With Frimpong featuring heavily in Xabi Alonso's team, Leverkusen became the first team to go undefeated in the German top flight en route to lifting the Bundesliga title for the first time ever. Frimpong enjoyed a career-high 14 goals and 12 assists to play his part in Leverkusen's success last term.

In the meantime, Lucas Vázquez is set to slot in at right back for Los Blancos as they aim to lift a 37th La Liga title while hoping to go back-to-back in the Champions League for the first time since the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons.

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