Liverpool consider late bid for £75m Van Dijk successor

Liverpool gained at Anfield, however this time, there was no fusillade of fist pumps showered towards the Kop Finish, no larger-than-life German zapping round and infecting everybody along with his power.

Arne Slot is a cooler buyer, businesslike, unflappable. A charismatic and disarming character at instances, sure, but in addition a degree head along with his sights set on calmly tinkering away at his gifted squad, inherited from Jurgen Klopp, and bringing it into rivalry on the high of the Premier League.

There’s after all the return of the Champions League to look ahead to too – the revamped group stage draw is on Thursday – which absolutely signifies that a brand new signing ought to be introduced in to permit the Reds to struggle throughout all fronts, with central defence a precedence on this regard.

Liverpool maintain talks over centre-back signing

Based on TEAMtalk, Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is on a shortlist of choices at Liverpool for the week forward, with Richard Hughes and co not ruling out signing a centre-back.

Sepp van den Berg has been offered to Brentford for £25m whereas Joe Gomez is assessing his choices out there, and Guehi has the proper talent set to succeed below Slot’s management.

Inside talks have been held and Liverpool should now take into account whether or not they want to fork out the £75m payment that Palace demand. With Newcastle United having lodged 4 provides already this summer time, FSG higher act shortly at this late stage of the window.

Why Marc Guehi would begin for Liverpool

Crystal Palace signed the defender in an £18m deal three years in the past, bringing him in from Chelsea. He has since made 113 appearances and risen to a place as considered one of England’s foremost centre-backs.

Hailed for his “monster” defending by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, Guehi actually has what it takes to succeed at a high-flying outfit corresponding to Liverpool, probably even surpassing expectations and changing into a number one member all through an illustrious interval below Slot’s management.

Guehi has nonetheless solely featured 5 instances below Oliver Glasner as a result of accidents all through the second half of final season, however he nonetheless managed to showcase his approach and ball-playing expertise below Roy Hodgson.

Palace have not began the 2024/25 time period with the identical aplomb that they completed final yr with however the model of soccer is identifiable and Guehi has been a linchpin, averaging 78.5 touches per sport to this point, finishing 88% of his passes and successful a whopping 75% of his duels (six per sport).

Such defensive metal, blended with a powerful and different passing sport, means that he can be good for Slot’s system and that he may even be the proper man to succeed Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk – who’s out of contract on the finish of the season…

The proper Van Dijk successor

Slot’s model of soccer carries some slick and trendy – some would say liquid – components, however two matches in, an additional layer of composure is discernible from what Klopp delivered to the desk.

Ipswich City and Brentford have been defeated to start out the season off with six factors, and whereas neither show was good, Liverpool have but to concede, main the way in which in xGA, which is mainly the anticipated targets conceded from the photographs confronted, two matchweeks in.

After all, it is very early within the day, and harder assessments lie forward, however Liverpool’s xGA of 0.89, in easy phrases, signifies that they’ve stood agency and restricted their opponents to half-hearted possibilities. Having confronted 15 photographs over the 2 affairs, xG guidelines that Liverpool have been lower than possible to concede a single objective.

Alisson performs an enormous half in that, after all, however none larger than Van Dijk, who has been as imperious as ever throughout his opening fixtures, defending his objective in opposition to the Bees to maintain his forty eighth clear sheet in 100 Premier League matches at Anfield, shedding solely twice.

The 33-year-old is likely one of the biggest defenders in Premier League historical past, and he is carried his long-standing energy into the recent marketing campaign, notably finishing 95% of his passes and successful 65% of his duels to this point, as per Sofascore.

He who’s tasked with succeeding the Netherlands and Liverpool captain will face a troublesome process certainly, although Guehi has the properties to make sure the Reds’ defensive power may proceed lengthy into Slot’s future on the helm.

Considered one of England’s standout performers at Euro 2024, Guehi has been described as “a type of versatile CBs who can play each side equally as comfortably” by analyst Ben Mattinson, including additional depth to the argument that he may change Van Dijk, who has lengthy dominated from the left aspect of Liverpool’s backline.

The Reds titan issued a cryptic response by Sky Sports activities pundits when discussing Liverpool’s victory over Brentford on Sunday night, refusing to disclose his or the membership’s stance on his contract scenario, however followers would relaxation lots simpler realizing {that a} plan, in a single type or one other, is in place.

Van Dijk has been described as “the perfect defender on this planet” by Klopp up to now and it is true that he’ll go the check of time when soccer’s most interesting centre-backs are raised for debate.

However he is 34 on the finish of the marketing campaign, and should effectively choose in opposition to extending his £220k-per-week contract. Guehi can be an excellent successor, and FSG should make their transfer earlier than he falls into rival clutches.