Liverpool are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven this summer, according to Mike Verweij.
The Reds are looking to bolster their defence and are eyeing the 25-year-old, who will bring speed and experience to the Anfield club’s rearguard.
Liverpool have been linked to the Spurs man for some time, but are only now pursuing him because of his contract impasse.
The North Londoners are trying to get the Liverpool target to sign a new deal, but he is not budging, and a sale might happen.
Van de Ven has established himself as one of the better defenders in the Premier League.
He is renowned for his speed, which he uses to beat attackers. Former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou believes ‘there’s no ceiling for him’.
He might be flawed in the air, but he more than makes up for it on the ground.
Internationally, he has formed a solid partnership with Liverpool captain and legend, Virgil Van Dijk.
The Reds failed to keep Ibrahima Konate, and despite adding Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, they could use another addition, with Joe Gomez also poised to leave.
However, Liverpool should think carefully before committing significant money to Van de Ven.
While his recovery pace is among the best in Europe, it also masks deficiencies that become more apparent when he cannot rely on his athleticism.
His reading of danger is not always at the elite level expected of a long-term Van Dijk successor, and his alarming injury record is another concern.
Liverpool cannot trust him across a demanding Premier League and Champions League campaign.
Investing heavily in another defender with recurring fitness issues would be a gamble Liverpool do not need to take.
Instead, the Reds should direct those funds towards Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck.
The German is a commanding presence, reads the game superbly, excels in possession and has the leadership qualities to eventually inherit Van Dijk’s mantle.
He looks like a far more complete and dependable option for Liverpool’s future.
