£43m star now open to joining Liverpool

Rivals thought Liverpool would fall off a cliff when Jurgen Klopp packed up and left, however Arne Slot got here and chased their wistful goals proper again from the place they got here.

Solely 11 months after Klopp sang Slot’s title, Carabao Cup trophy within the bag however not a lot else (apart from qualification again into the Champions League after the distress of 2022/23), Anfield’s new Dutch boss returned the music, having gained the Premier League and defied all expectations.

Slot’s confirmed himself, becoming a member of an unique membership of managers who gained the English prime flight of their first yr, and now he is been entrusted to work with sporting director Richard Hughes and make sweeping modifications within the switch market.

Slot chased the doubters away, and with Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz becoming a member of from Bayer Leverkusen, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez arriving quickly and a brand new centre-forward quickly to be focused, there’s a lot to be enthusiastic about should you’re of a Liverpool persuasion.

In fact, some outgoings are occurring too, with the legend that’s Andy Robertson mooted for a departure within the coming months.

Liverpool’s left-back scenario

Robertson, 31, is coming into the ultimate yr of his £160k-per-week contract and sadly appeared a weak hyperlink underneath Slot’s wing. It is comprehensible: he is been run into the bottom throughout so a few years of tireless service.

With a deal agreed to signal Kerkez, Robertson goes to be relegated to the backbench, and so with Atletico Madrid circling, it may be that FSG reluctantly let their stalwart go.

Kerkez may be younger, however there isn’t any query that he is already reached a level of superiority over Liverpool’s veteran, whose athleticism and as soon as never-ending batteries have ebbed again over the previous yr.

If Robertson does go away, although, may Liverpool be promoting themselves quick? His back-up, Kostas Tsimikas, is on Leeds United’s radar, in any case. Liverpool may want another star on the left aspect of the backline, and the chosen goal may be probably the most thrilling of the lot.

Liverpool take into account one other left-back

In response to TEAMtalk, Ajax defender Jorrel Hato is desirous about shifting to Liverpool regardless of the efforts of Arsenal, who successfully have the lead within the race proper now.

Hato, 19, has been a revelation in his homeland and has been priced at €50m (£43m), a valuation which Ajax usually are not keen to scale back this summer season.

Additional experiences declare that Chelsea are additionally within the body, and that Liverpool and the Blues have been knowledgeable by the participant’s camp that the race may be very a lot open at this stage.

What Jorrel Hato would deliver to Liverpool

Liverpool are stocking up properly with the 21-year-old Kerkez, aren’t they? So why does Slot need one other left-sided defender in Hato? Properly, the younger Dutchman would supply that further little bit of depth on the flank, all of the whereas fostering qualities as a central defender too.

Expertise scout Jacek Kulig truly hailed Hato as “probably the most proficient centre-backs in Europe in his technology” just some years in the past, throughout his formative section. However regardless of this, the Netherlands star has performed the previous yr of his skilled profession as principally a left-back, owing to his gasoline tank, tenacious angle and dynamism, driving up and down the wing.

As per FBref, he ranked among the many prime 9% of full-backs throughout Europe final season for move completion, the highest 14% for tackles and interceptions mixed and the highest 15% for ball recoveries per 90.

Spectacular stats, and helpful to shine a light-weight on the ability set that has seen a pure centre-half carry out with such aplomb in a large berth.

Hato and Kerkez are each rising defensive stars of immense potential, and selecting which one could be ‘higher’ underneath Slot’s wing is successfully splitting hairs, however we’re hair splitters over right here, and Ajax’s age-belying prospect is an absolute marvel.

Hailed for his “particular” abilities by scout Phil Costa, so expert, so versatile, Hato may develop into among the finest on this planet throughout a number of positions, and if that is not sufficient to ship frissons of pleasure by way of the Liverpool fanbase, what’s?

It is because of this that he has been described as an “distinctive athlete” by analyst Ben Mattinson. When contemplating Hato’s high quality throughout not one however two positions that Liverpool must strengthen, you might argue he is the extra thrilling man than Kerkez.

Definitely, there’s extra thrill concerned with {the teenager} than Robertson, who Jamie Carragher referred to as “an absolute legend” in January, however a defender who has been “hanging on in each sport.”

If, on the eleventh hour, Liverpool’s bid to signal Kerkez falls by way of, Hato would show a wonderful different; however, if all goes to plan and Hughes secures one other wonderful signing for the title-winning Reds, including Hato to the combination would certainly full the set.