LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 2, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (R) with Brighton & Hove Albion's Jan Paul van Hecke during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 2, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (R) with Brighton & Hove Albion's Jan Paul van Hecke during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool are credited with interest in Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke as Tottenham make their move, but contact was made before Arne Slot‘s sacking.
Tottenham have been unsuccessful in their first offer for Netherlands international Van Hecke, but The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reports that talks are ongoing.
It comes with Roberto De Zerbi hoping to be reunited with the centre-back he worked with at Brighton, though Tottenham are seemingly not alone in their interest.
The Telegraph‘s Sam Wallace claims that both Liverpool and Chelsea have also been monitoring the 25-year-old, who has a year left on his contract as of this summer.
But while there has been “contact” from Anfield, according to Dutch publication VI‘s Joost Blaauwhof, he makes a point to add that “that was before [Slot’s] dismissal.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 24, 2025: Brighton & Hove Albion's Jan Paul van Hecke during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Bramley-Moore Dock. Everton won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 24, 2025: Brighton & Hove Albion's Jan Paul van Hecke during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Bramley-Moore Dock. Everton won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Clearly the suggestion is that Liverpool will have now shelved their pursuit of Van Hecke as it was a transfer pushed by his countryman, Slot.
A similar situation appears to have unfolded around Netherlands right-back Denzel Dumfries, who was heavily linked with a move to Merseyside but is now expected to swap Inter Milan for Real Madrid.
Though it would be reductive to claim every Dutch player as a ‘Slot target’, it arguably tracks that it would be more likely due to the 47-year-old’s contacts.
Which other centre-backs could Liverpool target?
3A5WPTK Valencia, Spain. 23rd Mar, 2025. Spain's Dean Huijsen during UEFA Nations League, Round of 8, 2nd leg match. March 23, 2025. (ALTERPHOTOS/Ropero) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News
3A5WPTK Valencia, Spain. 23rd Mar, 2025. Spain's Dean Huijsen during UEFA Nations League, Round of 8, 2nd leg match. March 23, 2025. (ALTERPHOTOS/Ropero) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News
Liverpool may simply have ended any interest due to the imminent arrival of Andoni Iraola, who like Slot will hold the job title of head coach rather than manager but will still be involved in decisions over transfers.
Iraola’s emergence as next in line at Anfield has already prompted links with former Bournemouth defenders Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen.
It would be no surprise, either, if Tottenham‘s expected deal to sign Marcos Senesi on a free transfer could be complicated by established interest from Liverpool and the appointment of a head coach he enjoyed such success under at Bournemouth.
Whether Liverpool will look to sign another centre-back this summer remains to be seen despite the departure of Ibrahima Konate.
New arrival Jeremy Jacquet is slated to compete with fellow youngster Giovanni Leoni for the starting spot alongside Virgil van Dijk, while Joe Gomez is in line to stay for the final year of his contract.
The club’s priorities will likely be elsewhere, not least with the intention of signing at least one top-level winger to replace Mohamed Salah.
RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola are the prime candidates in that regard.
Rotterdam, Netherlands. 20th Dec, 2023. Rotterdam – Etienne Reijnen of Feyenoord during the match between Feyenoord v FC Utrecht at Stadion Feijenoord De Kuip on 20 December 2023 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Credit: box to box pictures/Alamy Live News
Rotterdam, Netherlands. 20th Dec, 2023. Rotterdam – Etienne Reijnen of Feyenoord during the match between Feyenoord v FC Utrecht at Stadion Feijenoord De Kuip on 20 December 2023 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Credit: box to box pictures/Alamy Live News
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Brentford FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. The game ended 1-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Football – FA Premier League – Nottingham Forest FC v Liverpool FC
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - Sunday, February 22, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot on the pitch before the FA Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Liverpool FC at the City Ground. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)