Liverpool swoop for £40m Spurs ‘sensation’ failed for one reason despite ‘late’ Klopp transfer plan

Lewis Oldham
Liverpool-linked defender
Micky van de Ven and Heung Min-Son.

According to reports, Liverpool were interested in Netherlands defender Micky van de Ven during the summer transfer window before he signed for Tottenham.

Liverpool were busy during the summer transfer window as they spent around £150m to recruit four new midfielders. Deadline day signing Ryan Gravenberch joined Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo in making the move to Anfield.

The Premier League giants were focused on rebuilding their midfield ahead of the 2023/24 campaign but they were also hoping to strengthen in other positions.

A new centre-back will soon be required to compete with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. It was claimed during the summer that Van de Ven was among their potential options. 

Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke has been keen to recruit players from the Bundesliga and Van de Ven emerged as one of the best young defenders in Europe during his time at Wolfsburg.

The Netherlands international signing for Liverpool appeared on the cards at one stage but he ended up joining Tottenham in a deal worth £40m.

Van de Ven has hit the ground running in the Premier League and now our pals over at TEAMtalk are reporting that the ‘Spurs sensation’ was ‘not willing to wait for Liverpool, who were planning on making a late move for him in the summer transfer window’. They add.

‘The 22-year-old Netherlands international central defender was recommended to the club by their recently-appointed sporting director Jorge Schmadtke.

And while Jurgen Klopp was also keen on Van de Ven, midfield remained the club’s priority throughout the transfer window.

Liverpool held talks with Wolfsburg about the 6ft 4in centre-back while Van de Ven’s camp were well aware of the club’s interest and that they were keen on making a bid. However, once Tottenham opened talks it meant Van de Ven had a decision to make and sources close to him say he had no hesitation in pushing for Spurs.

Liverpool are already looking at defensive options ahead of a potential move for another central defender in January.’

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Speaking after making his debut for Spurs, Van de Ven predicted that they will achieve “beautiful things” under Ange Postecoglou.

“It’s an amazing club,” Van de Ven said after his Tottenham debut. “I had a good meeting with the trainer and it was a really good meeting.

“He’s a really good trainer. I love the club, I love the players and I think there is so much potential under this trainer so we will see where this season heads.

“He has a good view on football, that’s what I think. Attacking football is what I love, playing with a lot of space in the back doesn’t matter for me.

“Offensive football is what I like and I think if we play a lot of offensive football and we train, we train, we train then I think we can do some beautiful things.”

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