Liverpool were clearly aware of the need for a new left-sided centre-half last summer.
The agent of Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, for instance, admitted that Jurgen Klopp’s side had shown an interest in his £50 million-rated client before the window closed in August 2023. There was also a reported pursuit for Rennes’ Arthur Theate while, at one point in the off-season, Micky Van de Ven seemed destined to end up at Anfield rather that at Tottenham Hotspur.
But, as Hincapie’s representative would explain a few months back, Liverpool felt that reinforcing a midfield shorn of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was a more pressing concern, with defensive reinforcements placed on the backburner as The Reds pressed ahead with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch instead.
Liverpool missed Micky Van de Ven chance
In truth, it’s difficult to disagree with such a policy. Liverpool, given the sheer amount of midfield departures, needed replacements. And all of those four aforementioned additions have played their part in a fine campaign up to now, Liverpool still leading the Premier League charge despite the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal last time out.
On the other hand, Liverpool’s decision to prioritise midfielders over defenders appears to have cost them perhaps the most talented, most complete left-sided centre-half on the market.
“It’s true that the (Wolfsburg) director went there, and I know that Liverpool have followed me before,” one Micky Van de Ven told Voetbal International before his eventual £34 million move to Tottenham.
“Do I think Liverpool is a nice club? Naturally!”
Liverpool, as they did with Hincapie, cooled their interest in the Dutchman, leaving Spurs free to snap up a player who must now be a leading frontrunner for any ‘Signing of the Season’ awards. The Premier League’s official website even confirmed that, after clocking up a top speed of over 37 mp/h, Van de Ven is the fastest player to feature in England’s top flight since records began four years ago.
Even Arsene Wenger, who spent two decades in the other half of North London, put his Arsenal allegiance to one side while hailing Tottenham’s jet-heeled summer signing.
“They bought Van de Ven, who I find exceptional,” Wenger said. “I find him absolutely exceptional.”
Van de Ven ‘exceptional’ at Tottenham Hotspur
HITC Football understands that Liverpool have put a left-sided centre-back at the top of their list for the upcoming summer window, Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio, Chelsea’s Levi Colwill and Feyenoord’s David Hancko under consideration.
Are any, though, at the level of Van de Ven? That remains to be seen, of course. Who honestly expected Tottenham’s number 37 to make such an splash in England, a relative unknown to the majority upon his arrival. Who is to say Hancko, an Eredivisie champion with Feyenoord, or Inacio, a Portugal international, cannot emulate the Dutchman’s impact.
But, after a weekend in which Virgil van Dijk looked oddly human and worryingly shaky – torn to shreds by the pace and unpredictability of a sprightly Arsenal frontline – a man ten years his compatriot’s junior feels increasingly like he could have been the perfect solution to a problem Jurgen Klopp’s eventual successor will inherit upon taking the Liverpool job.
The post Liverpool may live to regret not signing £34m ace in 'exceptional form' at Prem rival appeared first on HITC.
from HITC https://ift.tt/lRa7WLm
No comments: