Sources: Liverpool set sights on signing Virgil van Dijk replacement for ‘big’ fee
Liverpool have Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven on their radar ahead of the summer transfer window as a potential replacement for Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool’s centre-back issues have been prevalent this season amid their struggle to defend their Premier League crown.
Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have been Arne Slot‘s preferred backline pairing, but have both suffered drop-offs in form without any substantial depth to replace them in the starting eleven.
Liverpool are the current favourites to sign Van de Ven as he is continually linked away from Tottenham while they struggle under Thomas Frank this term.
The Reds are set to have the Dutchman on their shortlist as a potential centre-back signing this summer, but as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, it will take a substantial fee to prise him from the North London club.
Liverpool keeping tabs on Van de Ven amid centre-back issues
Van de Ven has been one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League over the last few seasons at Tottenham, with six goals in 29 appearances so far this term.
Sources have told Football Insider that Tottenham want to agree a new contract with Van de Ven soon, amid links to Real Madrid, but any interested club will have to pay a huge fee to sign him this summer regardless.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “I think it’s going to be an interesting one, obviously we know that Liverpool will be in the market for a centre-back in the next couple of transfer windows.
“They’ve got issues with Ibrahima Konate, he’s still yet to sign a new contract. Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger as well, so they are going to have to strengthen in that area.
“Van de Ven would be a player that I’m sure that Liverpool would be very much interested in. He’s Premier League proven. He’s been a big success at Tottenham and it would take a big fee to sign the centre-back.
“Obviously Van Dijk plays in that position at the minute, so could his fellow Dutchman be seen as a long-term replacement for Van Dijk or maybe playing alongside him? That remains to be seen.
“Most people would probably say they need to bring somebody in in January, but it doesn’t look like Liverpool will do that.
“They’re keeping their powder dry for the summer window. Van de Ven will be one of a number of names that the Liverpool recruitment team are looking at.“
Liverpool do not want to sell Curtis Jones to Spurs
With Van de Ven potentially set to move to Anfield soon, Reds midfielder Jones has been touted to go the opposite way and join Tottenham in recent weeks.
Reports of their interest in his services have emerged in January as he struggles to nail down a consistent spot in Slot’s starting eleven.
Despite those links, sources have told Football Insider that Liverpool plan to turn down any approaches for Jones from Spurs, as Slot does not want to weaken his midfield options.
He has only started 10 Premier League games so far this term, though, and it remains to be seen if he is potentially used as a makeweight in any deal that the Reds may want to accelerate for Van de Ven.