There has been this aiding need to bring in a new centre back at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Daniel Levy has been trying hard to get his hands on someone who can add physicality and build to the backline while also bringing in that modern ability to build up in the first phase, and while the North Londoners brought Kevin Danso in the winter window, they are expected to be pushing for a move to sign a new defender once again when the summer window comes around, and while the Lilywhites have been linked with multiple players, one of them is Bournemouth sensation Dean Huijsen.
The 19-year-old has been playing some impressive football at the heart of defence for Iraola’s side, and he has displayed a sense of maturity despite his age while showcasing technical prowess, as he adapted to the pace and power of English football quite seamlessly. And his performances haven’t gone unnoticed, with the race to Bournemouth’s 19-year-old defensive prodigy signature heating up as table toppers Liverpool have emerged as leading contenders to sign the centre-back alongside Tottenham.
But with both clubs striving for his signature, it brings up rather a more important question: who needs Huijsen more?
The situation at Anfield and the whys behind targeting Huijsen at L4
Liverpool fortify interest in Bournemouth star
There are a few things if you look at this from Liverpool’s perspective; the Reds have Virgil van Dijk entering into the final stint of his current contract at L4, and his future with the Merseysiders is up in the air. Moreover, the Ditchman is thirty-three and slowly getting into the twilight years of his career. So while he remains a world-class presence at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, they have to start planning for life without him sooner rather than later.
But that’s not the only thing; another one is Ibrahima Konate and his injury concerns. The Frenchman has been excellent when fit, but he missed 14 games last season, which shows that he cannot be fully relied on, and his minutes need to be managed. And without Konate, this will leave only Jarell Quansah as a reliable backup defender, which is a risky thing given how the Reds strive for silverware.
Now lastly, the gaffer at Anfield Stadium, Arne Slot, likes players who can initiate attacks from the first phase, and with Huijsen completing 83.5% of passes, averaging 4.15 progressive passes and 1.4 progressive carries per ninety (Fbref), he does fit into this mould quite perfectly. And if you look at his composure on the ball (especially under pressure), it does quite end up mirroring Van Dijk’s, which makes him an ideal player for the chiefs at Kirkby to consider as a long-term successor to the former Southampton man.
At this point, if you look at this from Liverpool’s point of view, Huijsen isn’t just a luxury; he is more of a necessity, and the rumoured £50 million release clause in his contract with the Cherries means he will be a bargain option when compared to the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite (£70m+).
Do Tottenham really need Huijsen?
Do Tottenham need Huijsen?
Now when you look at the pursuit of Huijsen from a Tottenham perspective, it does end up being more of a well-planned foresight than the necessity that he becomes at Liverpool.
At the moment, the starting centre-back duo of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are one of the best defensive pairings in the English opt tier, but then both of them have been facing injury problems in the ongoing campaign, with the former missing 27 games this season while Van de Ven has suffered multiple hamstring injuries. And then their first backup, Radu Dragusin, has shown that he is still a raw prospect (irrespective of his current ACL injury layoff), which leaves Tottenham light in depth.
Then when we come into Postecoglou’s system, the Australian’ head coach has deployed an aggressive style of play that makes recovery speed and technical confidence more of a necessity than a trait, and Huijsen’s 1.52 tackles per 90 this season complemented by the comfort that he has shown on the ball suit what the former Celtic manager is trying to implement at N17.
That being said, at the moment with current personnel in place, Huijsen would be more of a depth player than an out-and-out starter. And moreover, the priority in North London would be to compound on their options in midfield, attack, or even in the fullback role, given how Spurs have struggled with creativity and goal-scoring in the ongoing campaign.
Author’s Opinion
The Reds have stepped up their interest in landing the Bournemouth star, per teamTALK, and when you look at this, they certainly need him more given how he would possibly be a transformative (in the long term, of course) signing at Anfield Stadium and rather a strategic arrival for Daniel Levy.
He can well end up being heir to Van Dijk’s throne at L4, and for Tottenham, at the moment he is not a priority, but he could end up being a worthy asset in the roster.
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This tug-of-war shows one end of urgency (Liverpool) and the other of ambitions and long-term stability (Tottenham), and it is to be seen which one would end up getting an upper hand.