Liverpool have been linked with a move for Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven, and now reliable journalist Dominic King has provided a new update.
The Reds need to be on the lookout for Virgil van Dijk’s eventual successor at Anfield, considering he turns 35 years of age during the summer.
Van de Ven has stood out as a natural option for Liverpool, given his Premier League experience and the fact that he plays as a left-sided centre-back, impressing overall.
Granted, the 24-year-old is part of a horribly out-of-sorts Spurs side currently – one that lost 5-2 to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday – but he could well be a wanted man in the summer transfer window.
Speaking on talkSPORT [via Football Insider], King claimed that Liverpool are not actually “in for” Van de Ven, despite the recent rumours:
“No. From what I’ve heard, I don’t believe they’re in for him. I would never say anything definitively about a football transfer because things can change. I would believe that he’d want to come to Liverpool, from what I’ve heard, but I’m not sure the feeling is totally mutual at this moment in time.”
Should Liverpool look to sign Micky van de Ven?
This is a shame, if King’s update proves to be true, with Van de Ven a top-level centre-back who could add a lot to Liverpool’s defence, not least blistering pace.
The Dutchman is still relatively young, especially for a central defender, and former Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has made it very clear what he thinks of him, saying:
“He’s top. He could be as good as he wants to. You watch him at the World Cup, I reckon they’ll play him at left back and he’ll be unbelievable. Once he gets going, technically he’s good, his ability to cover ground is phenomenal. You’d set him up against any striker in the world, without any fear that he will get outmuscled and definitely not outrun.”
It may be that Liverpool have someone else lined up instead of Van de Ven in the summer – Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck, for example – but he should continue to be viewed as an excellent option.
The fact that Spurs could be relegated from the Premier League would make him even more attainable and potentially available for a cut-price amount at the end of the season.