Liverpool prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and Arne Slot has already tried to sign one of their defenders.
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It’s an area of the squad that needs reinforcements.
Whether Liverpool use the January transfer window to their advantage or wait until the summer, it is concurred that at least one centre-back will be on their agenda. It is an area of the squad they are light. Given the Reds’ trip to Tottenham Hotspur is the first time they have not had a midweek fixture since August, Arne Slot may feel fortunate that Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate have avoided injury so far.
The fact that Liverpool tried to sign Marc Guehi during the summer transfer window underlines that Slot and the Anfield hierarchy believe at least one option is needed. When Giovanni Leoni suffered his cruel ACL blow, it underlined how short the Reds are.
Heading into the Premier League clash against Spurs, Liverpool have just two centre-backs fit, with Joe Gomez injured. Slot will be praying that Van Dijk and Konate can remain unscathed.
The prospect of signing Guehi has not dampened after a £35 million deal collapsed on transfer deadline day. Liverpool remain interested in signing the England international, who won’t sign a new contract at Crystal Palace. But given that Guehi’s deal at Selhurst Park culminates at the end of the season, the Reds are no longer the only team in pursuit. The rest of Europe’s elite have reportedly come to the table, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are all said to be keen.
Liverpool may feel they have an advantage given a lot of the groundwork has been done. But as Guehi will be a free agent, a more lucrative package could appeal.
But even if Guehi does opt for Anfield, the Reds may still need another centre-half. Konate has still to commit his future to Liverpool, with his deal up in six months’ time. If the France international decides to depart Merseyside, another void will require filling. In addition, Gomez’s injury issues over the past few years mean he cannot be fully relied on, while a long-term successor for Virgil van Dijk, whose contract expires in 2027, needs to eventually be found.
Sporting director Richard Hughes will already be hard at work. Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck is said to be on the radar, while Dayot Upamecano reportedly has been offered to Liverpool as his Bayern deal is running down.
However, Slot might well have hinted who he’d like to sign if he had his way. When Liverpool face Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Slot may well have one eye on the performance of Micky van de Ven.
During his managerial career, Slot has already tried to sign Van de Ven on two occasions when in charge of AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord respectively. However, twice Slot was unsuccessful. FC Volendam would not sell Van de Ven the first time before the speedy defender opted to join Wolfsburg rather than Feyenoord.
“Slot wanted to sign me for AZ Alkmaar when he saw me play in the first season at Volendam,” Van de Ven recently said on The Overlap. “The club refused to sell me and I had to accept that they would not let me go. When he was at Feyenoord, he tried to sign me too, but by then I had already signed for Wolfsburg in Germany.”
Van de Ven signed for Spurs from Wolfsburg for a fee that could reach £43 million in 2023. He’s established himself as one of the leading defenders in the Premier League and played a key role as Tottenham won the Europa League last term.
However, should the North London side fail to qualify for Europe next season - they are currently 11th in the table - then he may rethink his future. Tottenham are in a strong position as the Netherlands international is under contract until 2029. Yet Van de Ven made his chief career aim on The Overlap clear as he declared: “I want to be one of the best centre-backs in the world – maybe the best.”
Given that Spurs are not one of Europe’s elite clubs, Van de Ven could feel his ultimate goal might only be achieved if he moves on. His international team-mate, Van Dijk, undoubtedly became one of Europe’s premium centre-backs after joining Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018. Aged 24, Van de Ven is only just entering his prime years, while he has significant experience at the top level.
Granted, if Tottenham were to even contemplate a sale, they would demand a significant fee. Per Transfermrkt, he has a valuation of around £58 million. But Liverpool have shown they’re willing to splash the cash for the right players. Replacing Van Dijk will be a nye-on impossible task but Slot may feel third time’s a charm with Van de Ven.