Emmanuel Yaw Frimpong is a Ghanaian professional footballer who currently plays for Ufa in
the Russian Premier League.
Although Frimpong has represented England at youth level, in March 2013 he made his
full international debut for Ghana, his country of birth.
He holds both a Ghanaian passport and a British passport.
Early life Frimpong was born in Kumasi, Ghana but moved
to Tottenham at a young age where he was originally discovered by Arsenal and enrolled at the
Hale End Academy at the age of nine alongside fellow graduate Jack Wilshere.
He attended Gladesmore Community School in Tottenham until he was 14, when he left to
focus on playing football full-time at Arsenal's youth academy.
Club career Arsenal
Frimpong signed for Arsenal aged nine.
He began his Arsenal career in their youth academy and he scored against Coventry City
and Milton Keynes amongst others.
Arsenal added him to their reserve team in 2008.
He made his début for the reserves on 5 October 2009 against Chelsea.
Frimpong as well as fellow academy member Jay Emmanuel-Thomas were on the bench for
the match against Sheffield United.
On 22 May 2009, Frimpong was injured on the quarter hour mark of the FA Youth Cup Final
against Liverpool and was substituted.
He featured heavily in Arsenal's pre-season in Austria and received praise from Arsene
Wenger for his performances in the 2010 Emirates Cup.
"I believe Frimpong has done really well as well.
He is a bit less of a dribbler but he is a fighter and he is a winner."
On 19 August 2010, Frimpong injured an anterior cruciate ligament in training and was out
injured for nine months.
After returning from the injury, on 17 June 2011, Frimpong claimed he was in talks with
Championship club Cardiff City and League One side Charlton Athletic over a possible
loan deal, which could give him regular football.
2011–12 season Frimpong made his Premier League debut for
Arsenal in their match against Newcastle United on 13 August 2011, coming on as a second-half
substitute for Tomas Rosicky.
On 16 August 2011, Frimpong came on as a second-half substitute for Rosicky again in the UEFA Champions
League match against Udinese.
He made his first start in the Premier League on 20 August 2011 against Liverpool, but ended
up being sent off in the 69th minute of the match after receiving a second yellow card
for a challenge on Lucas.
Following Arsenal's loss to Manchester City in The League Cup Quarter Final, Frimpong
and his former Arsenal teammate Samir Nasri clashed in the tunnel.
They had tussled throughout the tie and at the end of the match they appeared to start
arguing as the teams walked off the pitch, before continuing their disagreement in the
tunnel.
Following the incident, Samir Nasri and Arsenal's Emmanuel Frimpong did not face action over
their row in the tunnel.
Loan spell at Wolves On 1 January 2012, it was confirmed that Frimpong
had joined fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan until the end of the season.
The following day he made his debut, starting in a 2–1 loss to Chelsea.
However, in only his fifth appearance for the club, he ruptured a cruciate ligament
in his right knee during a 2–1 win at QPR, effectively ending his season.
He was then returned to Arsenal as his injury would rule him out for the rest of his time
at Wolves. 2012–13 season
On 19 November 2012, Frimpong joined Championship side Charlton Athletic on a six-week loan
deal until 1 January 2013 and a few weeks later on 25 January 2013, he joined Fulham
on a season-long loan deal.
Barnsley Frimpong joined Barnsley for an undisclosed
fee on 31 January 2014.
He went straight into the squad for the Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday, but was
sent off after 31 minutes.
Following Barnsley's relegation from the Championship, Frimpong was released after only four months
at the club.
FC Ufa On 1 September 2014, Frimpong signed a three-year
contract with Russian Premier League side FC Ufa.
International career Frimpong played six matches with England's
under-16 team in 2007.
In March 2008, Frimpong scored a 71st minute goal for England against Germany's under-16
team in the Montaigu Tournament to give England a 1–0 win.
In 2009, Frimpong said, "no matter what, I will always play for Ghana because at the
end of the day, from what I believe, I am a Ghanaian.".
In August 2010, Frimpong was called up for the England under-19 squad to face Slovakia
the following month, though he was later forced to withdraw from the squad after suffering
his anterior cruciate ligament injury.
In February 2011, Frimpong said: "I have always told my family that if Ghana calls me, I will
personally ride my own bicycle from England to Ghana [to play for the Black Stars]".
In August, Frimpong had planned to spectate at a friendly match between Ghana and Nigeria
at Vicarage Road in Watford, but the game was postponed due to the 2011 England riots.
Later that month, Frimpong received his first call-up for the England under-21 team.
On 6 September 2011, it was announced by the Ghana Football Association that Frimpong has
pledged his future to Ghana.
FIFA cleared him to play for Ghana in November 2012.
Frimpong made his Ghana International début on 24 March 2013 during a 2014 World Cup qualifying
match against Sudan.
Style of play Frimpong is known for his energy in the midfield
and has been compared with ex-Arsenal player Alex Song and various other African midfielders
who have lots of pace and stamina.
He has also been called a younger version of Michael Essien because of his hard work
in the defensive midfielder role.
Personal life Frimpong is the cousin of Norwegian-Ghanaian
professional footballer, Yaw Amankwah who plays as a centre back for Norwegian club
Sandefjord Fotball.
He is also a cousin to Lethal Bizzle.
In 2012, Frimpong rapped on the remix of Bizzle's track "Leave It Yeah".
Career statistics As of 7 May 2014
Honours Arsenal
FA Premier Academy League: 2008–09, 2009–10 FA Youth Cup: 2008–09
England U-16 Montaigu Tournament: 2008
References
External links Emmanuel Frimpong career stats at Soccerbase
Official website Emmanuel Frimpong profile at Arsenal F.C.