Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven may be one to watch for Liverpool this summer.
The Dutchman could leave Spurs after three years in North London, with much depending on whether Roberto De Zerbi’s side stay in the Premier League.
A relegation would surely see Van de Ven make his exit, and according to journalist Ben Jacobs, he would much rather join Liverpool over Manchester United.
With Arne Slot expected to stay, will Liverpool challenge for the Premier League next season?
Or will it be another difficult campaign? 😬
Van de Ven would definitely pick Liverpool over Man United
Rumours that Van de Ven could leave Tottenham this summer have been circulating for a while, and given the potential of Liverpool needing a new centre-back as a long-term Virgil van Dijk replacement, the 25-year-old has naturally been linked with the Reds.
Man United are also set to recruit in defence, but speaking to The United Stand, Jacobs said that if it were a straight choice between the two rivals for Van de Ven, he would pick Liverpool without question.
“Liverpool, like Man United, it’s more an internal conversation,” he said. “The bad news for Manchester United on Micky van de Ven is if, and it is an if, so I don’t want to be misquoted here, Liverpool enter the race, Van de Ven is only making one decision between Liverpool and Manchester United, and he’s picking Liverpool.
“And I say that with absolute confidence. If both clubs were to enter this race, Van de Ven’s preference would be Liverpool over Manchester United.”
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“He would be linking up with Virgil van Dijk,” Jacobs added, “Virgil van Dijk would be going in the space of a season, because his contract expires in the summer of 2027.
He knows Van Dijk, he would have the opportunities to partner Van Dijk and then move over to the left-hand side. And he is also a Liverpool fan in terms of him and his family and his upbringing as well.”
How likely is a Liverpool move for Van de Ven?
After news arrived this week that Konate is likely to sign a new contract and stay at Liverpool, the Reds’ need to add another centre-back is much less pressing.
With Jeremy Jacquet already due to arrive, it would now be a surprise to see Liverpool go big on someone like Van de Ven.
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While he would be a ready-made senior option for Arne Slot, there have been suggestions that Tottenham would want as much as £100m for Van de Ven.
Given the options already at their disposal, it is virtually impossible to see Liverpool signing off on such a big move.
Nevertheless, as Jacobs alludes to, there will probably be a need to replace Van Dijk in 2027, and though Liverpool may be pinning their hopes on Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, Van de Ven would offer a bigger guarantee of doing that successfully.
If they do decide that the Netherlands international is the man that they want, it sounds as though he would not take much convincing to join.