Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, applauds the fans following the Premier League match between Fulham and Liverpool at Craven Cottage on January 04, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)placeholder image
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, applauds the fans following the Premier League match between Fulham and Liverpool at Craven Cottage on January 04, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Liverpool looked certain to sign Marc Guehi, however, they could be considering an even better player.
Football has always been a game of sliding doors and nobody on deadline day in the summer transfer window would have believed that Marc Guehi would be leaving Crystal Palace for anyone but Liverpool.
Nothing has changed, the Red still need another centre-half, an even more pressing concern giving the early season injury to Giovanni Leoni and Ibrahima Konate’s refusal to put pen to paper on a new contract at Anfield. Slot tried to claim that he didn’t need a centre-half, even though there was a determination to get a deal for Guehi over the line, right up until the last second.
Liverpool interest in Micky van de Ven grows
With the former Crystal Palace skipper no longer available, Richard Hughes must work his way down the list of alternate options and has been reported as considering a bid for another London-based captain in Spurs centre-half Micky van de Ven.
Spurs are in a good position though, as The Daily Mail explains: “Liverpool are developing a keen interest in Micky van de Ven which will be a test of Spurs' resolve in the summer. Van de Ven has resisted a new contract, and it will be a big decision for a Spurs executive tier who have vowed to be better at selling. He is 24 and his current deal expires in 2029 but if they cannot tie him down, do they sell? If so, how much can they command? And what should they buy with the money?”
The report from the Daily Mail that Liverpool are developing a “keen interest” certainly gives weight to claims the Reds would be willing to fork out a big sum to get him on board.
Why Van de Ven could be perfect for Liverpool
In terms of compensation for losing out on Guehi, there are few players better in the Premier League to pick than Van de Ven. He has always been recognised as being comfortable on the ball until his box to box goal confirmed that few centre-halves have his composure and pace in possession.
His ability to break a press just by one burst of acceleration is a useful weapon for any manager. With Van Dijk having to manage his miles per game, it makes sense to sign a player who is capable of doing what he used to on a regular basis. He is also a natural lefty.
Van de Ven’s pace, his top recorded speed of 37.38kmph is the fastest ever in the Premier League, is also a well known quality. It is a trait that any elite defender needs but the 24-year old is as quick as some of Europe’s most electric forwards.
For Liverpool, having a central defender who can cover the full-backs so effectively could be the difference between an attack being stopped midway through the half or a shot at goal. With Liverpool being a team that dominates possession, not relying on Van Dijk to do it on is own makes a lot of sense.
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