Liverpool have been linked with a summer move to sign Spurs centre-back Micky van de Ven but former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has revealed how far back their interest goes.
With Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain and the injuries to central defenders this season, Liverpool are rightfully looking at the summer window as a chance to improve depth in the position.
A £60m deal has already been agreed and confirmed for Rennes’ 20-year-old Jeremy Jacquet but there is scope to sign another centre-back, especially if Konate leaves the club.
Signing van de Ven is something many outlets have reported, but it’s not currently something that appears likely.
For one thing, Liverpool would have to pay a “British transfer record” level fee to sign van de Ven. Given that the Merseysiders set the record this summer with a £125m fee for Isak, it doesn’t seem likely that FSG will break that record a year later – for a centre back no less.
Yet, there is no doubt that he’s a player whom Liverpool rate very highly.
Ange Postecoglou talks Liverpool interest and why Micky van de Ven is so, so good
Speaking to The Overlap about Micky Van de Ven’s qualities, upbringing and the interest from Liverpool, Postecoglou said: “He [Micky Van de Ven] is top, he can be as good as he was. You watch him at the World Cup, I reckon they will play him left-back and he will be unbelievable once he gets going.
“He is technically good. His ability to cover ground, though, is just phenomenal, mate. You would set him up, a lot of teams like to go man for man now. You would set him up against any striker in the world without any fear that he would get outmuscled and definitely not outrun.
“He has got a top mentality too. I remember when we signed him, because I think Liverpool were in for him at the time as well, and I met his dad.
“I mean, he is not talking out of turn, right? But, like, he was like Secret Service. I remember him saying to me, he goes, ‘Listen, he has got options, but he is coming here to play, you had better play him’.
“So he has had a really good upbringing and he is not going to get carried away. He works hard on his game, and he is aware.”