Emmanuel Frimpong

Arsenal

Frimpong began his Arsenal career in their youth academy aged nine. He scored against Coventry City, in 2007, and Milton Keynes Dons, among others. Arsenal added him to their reserve team in 2008, whereupon he made his debut 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 went on to win a league and cup double as Arsenal went on to win the Youth Cup together with that of the Premier Academy League of 2009. Frimpong again won the league with Arsenal in the following year, being 2010. He featured heavily in Arsenal's pre-season in Austria and received praise from senior manager Arsène Wenger for his performances at 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 (ACL) 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 provide him with regular football.

2011–12 season

Frimpong made his Premier League debut for Arsenal in their match against…

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 ACL 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 (GFA) that Frimpong has pledged his future to Ghana. FIFA cleared him to play for Ghana in November 2012. He made his Ghana international debut on 24 March 2013 during a 2014 World Cup qualifying match against Sudan.

Frimpong was compared with Alex Song and other African midfielders who have much pace and stamina. He has also been called a younger version of Michael Essien because of his hard work in the defensive midfielder role.

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.