The transfer window has been open for almost a month and Liverpool have yet to make any additions to their first-team squad this summer, but that could soon be about to change.
According to reports from Italy (via TEAMtalk), Arne Slot has designs on a double midfield raid to begin putting his own stamp on the playing pool that he’s inherited from Jurgen Klopp.
Follow Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE
The 45-year-old is believed to have initiated talks with Teun Koopmeiners, whom he previously managed at AZ Alkmaar, and the Reds could benefit from Juventus’ unwillingness to meet Atalanta’s asking price of €60m (£51m) for the Netherlands international, a fee that LFC could instantly pay in full.
Liverpool are also among multiple clubs hoping to acquire Adrien Rabiot, who’s now a free agent after his contract with the Bianconeri expired at the end of June. Indeed, the Merseysiders are apparently better placed to snap up the Frenchman than any of his other English suitors.
To get two midfielders of the quality of Koopmeiners and Rabiot for just over £50m would be considered magnificent business in today’s market.
Liverpool revamped that area of the squad last summer with four new additions, so despite these reports from Italy, Anfield chiefs may be looking to strengthen other positions first before they further enhance their midfield.
How to buy tickets for England vs Spain
At 26, the Atalanta star is operating in his prime while still being young enough to potentially hold down a place in the Reds’ starting XI for several years to come, and a return of 25 goals across the past two seasons is very impressive for someone who doesn’t play as a striker.
Rabiot is older at 29 and his agent (and mother) is reportedly demanding wages of at least £80,000 per week, along with a £17m signing-on fee (TEAMtalk), so Richard Hughes would have a decision to make as to whether he’s ready to agree to those terms.
The Frenchman and Koopmeiners would both be solid additions to Liverpool’s squad, and Slot’s desire to land the latter in particular should resonate with Anfield bosses.
To get one of them in this summer would be nice. To snap up both would be tremendous work and would well and truly kickstart the transfer window under the new regime in L4.
EOTK Close-up with John Welsh: ‘a local lad who lived his dream’ and Slot’s LFC predictions