Liverpool’s blooming transfer window has been dominated by noise surrounding the frontline.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz continues to be at the heart of discussions regarding a British-record transfer to Anfield, while the uncertain futures of Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa suggest a new forward could be signed. Luis Diaz is also of a vested interest in Barcelona and suitors in the Saudi Pro League.
Of course, Liverpool have already addressed two key concerns across Arne Slot’s defensive flanks. With Trent Alexander-Arnold now soaking up the Spanish sun, Jeremie Frimpong has been welcomed from Leverkusen, and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is entering the closing stages of a transfer to Merseyside.
The protracted bid for Wirtz rumbles on, but the expectation is that the elite German playmaker will sign. After this point, FSG will have sorted out the bulk of their transfer activity nice and early, with just one or two tweaks left to be made.
There may be a ton of noise thundering from the attacking third, but Liverpool have already attempted to hitch a raid on Bournemouth for their now-sold star centre-back.
Why Liverpool need a centre-back
Last month, Dean Huijsen signed for Real Madrid after the La Liga superpower activated his £50m release clause. Analyst Ben Mattinson had declared the Spaniard was “the most in-demand centre-back in the world.”
Liverpool, along with the rest of the Premier League, wanted to sign the 20-year-old, but Los Blancos’ calling cry is strong, and they have indeed prevailed.
However, there are other central defenders on the market, and Huijsen’s performances for Spain across their recent Nations League showdowns illustrate that he still has much to learn from the craft.
Minutes played
90′
120′
Goals
0
0
Assists
0
0
Touches
77
123
Accurate passes
58/66 (88%)
101/112 (90%)
Key passes
0
0
Long balls
1/4
4/10
Possession lost
8x
11x
Tackles + interceptions
4
3
Clearances
3
7
Duels won
1/3
1/4
Names such as Marc Guehi and Ousmane Diomande have been touted, but FSG might find the perfect new defensive force over in the Netherlands, with the club’s Dutch contingent widening apace.
Liverpool open talks for Huijsen alternative
It would have been nice to bring Huijsen into the fold, but missing out on a Real Madrid-bound player is hardly the be-all and end-all.
Especially when FSG have since moved for another elite young talent in Ajax’s Jorrel Hato, who, according to Caught Offside, is known to be on Liverpool’s radar after sporting director Richard Hughes made an approach to gather information concerning a deal for the dynamic defender.
Chelsea appear to be in the driving seat, having made contact with the player’s entourage in recent days, while Arsenal are also keen.
Ajax are resigned to selling their 19-year-old star this summer, but only for the right fee. The Eredivisie giants will hold firm on their €50m (£43m) asking price.
Why Liverpool want Jorrel Hato
All of a Liverpool persuasion breathed a collective sigh of relief when Netherlands icon Virgil van Dijk extended his stay on Merseyside by two more years.
Mohamed Salah takes the plaudits for his unrelenting attacking output, but the 33-year-old Van Dijk is every bit as influential, and finding a successor will be an onerous task indeed.
Well, it could be, if Hato isn’t brought into the fold. The teenage defender, also Dutch, has already made 111 senior appearances for Ajax, demonstrating a prodigious level of technical skill.
Indeed, as per FBref, he ranked among the top 2% of full-backs across the Dutch Eredivisie for pass completion and the top 12% for assists per 90.
On that note, Hato might have spent the lion’s share of his 2024/25 season on the flank, but he’s naturally a central defender, and his positional fluency would only widen the scope of a prospective Liverpool career.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig has even gone as far as to say he’s “one of the most talented centre-backs in Europe in his generation”, putting him right up there with Real Madrid’s new recruit Huijsen.
Left-back
89
4
8
Centre-back
70
3
3
Centre-midfield
1
0
0
Given Liverpool are wrapping up a deal for Kerkez, Hato wouldn’t be welcomed into the fold with sights set on a wide berth, but Jarell Quansah has been linked with a transfer away from Anfield this summer and Hato could take his place, with the Liverpool prospect having filled in at right back on numerous occasions under Slot’s wing.
Ajax’s teenage sensation may only need the chance to flourish on English shores, having seen his stock rise considerably higher than Huijsen’s was when he was erroneously discarded by Juventus one year ago, finding a home at the Vitality Stadium, joining for a £15m fee (coincidentally, he was 19 when making the move).
As per Sofascore, Hato won 52% of his duels across the Eredivisie campaign, though given that he was playing out wide, this is a more than respectable success rate, especially as he averaged 1.9 tackles per game.
Huijsen wasn’t all that better at centre-back in the Premier League, winning 56% of his duels and averaging just 1.1 tackles per game.
With tireless energy, a robust physicality and indeed a ball-playing game that rivals Huijsen’s, Hato might just be the perfect signing for a Liverpool side in need of a bit more defensive depth.
Is it any wonder the aforementioned Mattinson has singled him out as an “exceptional athlete”?
Would Liverpool be taking a risk forking out more than £40m on a teenage defender? Probably not, given Hato is the real deal and would be able to nestle into a team bearing superstars in Van Dijk and Konate, who could help him rise to the fore.
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