Arne Slot would have been delighted when he led Liverpool to the Premier League title final season regardless of FSG’s reluctance to wield their purse after Jurgen Klopp packed up and left.
Who can say the Dutch coach wants a variety of signings? He bagged gold with none actual funding final 12 months. Now, although, the tactical mastermind is being handsomely rewarded.
A spread of impactful signings have already been made, with Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz strengthening the frontline. Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have refreshed the full-back ranks. Giorgi Mamardashvili joins Alisson Becker between the sticks.
Liverpool’s subsequent switch goal
Attacking additions often draw the most important acclaim. However Liverpool additionally want a centre-back, and this turned clear after the vested curiosity in Dean Huijsen was made identified.
However Huijsen has signed for Actual Madrid in a £50m deal, becoming a member of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Thus, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has turned his consideration to Marc Guehi, although the Crystal Palace defender can also be on Tottenham Hotspur’s radar, with the Londoners at the moment weighing up an official bid.
If Liverpool do not signal the Three Lions star, it appears they’ve recognized Ajax sensation Jorrel Hato as the person to finish Slot’s backline, with switch insider Ben Jacobs confirming {the teenager} is on the shortlist.
Hato can also be in Chelsea’s sights, and it’s the Blues who lead the race at this stage. Nevertheless, Liverpool might steal forward ought to they mount a concerted effort, with a shrewd £40m price ticket floating about.
Why Liverpool ought to signal Jorrel Hato
With Ibrahima Konate‘s future unsure, Actual Madrid lurking and the Frenchman only one 12 months away from free company, it appears like bringing in a centre-back is a matter of urgency this summer season.
Particularly as Jarell Quansah left for Bayer Leverkusen in a £35m bundle final month.
Hato would possibly solely be 19, however he is already emerged as one among Ajax’s main gamers, enjoying 111 senior matches for the Dutch giants and incomes six caps for the Netherlands nationwide group.
His fast-track rise to stardom – Hato has been hailed as “probably the greatest younger skills in soccer” by U23 scout Antonio Mango – and flexibility recommend he could possibly be Liverpool’s subsequent model of Cody Gakpo, who additionally joined the Anfield aspect instantly from the Dutch Eredivisie.
|
Jorrel Hato – Profession Ajax Stats by Place |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Place |
Apps |
Targets |
Assists |
|
Left-back |
88 |
4 |
8 |
|
Centre-back |
70 |
3 |
3 |
|
Central midfield |
1 |
– |
– |
|
Left midfield |
1 |
– |
– |
|
Stats through Transfermarkt |
|||
Gakpo, 25, signed for Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven for £35m in January 2023, and he has since develop into one of many staples of a trophy-winning Reds aspect, with pundit Peter Crouch even claiming he had “gone up a stage” in Slot’s system final season.
Final season, he scored 18 objectives and provided seven assists for the Premier League champions, maturing in a set function coming off the attacking left flank.
Hato might emulate his countryman, together with his dynamic positional qualities certain to see Slot shuffle him about earlier than he grows into his pores and skin in England and establishes himself as one of many Premier League’s main centre-halves.
The defensive phenom won’t have performed in his pure central function all that a lot all through the 2024/25 season, however he nonetheless completed ranked among the many high 1% of positional friends for move completion and the highest 12% for aerial duels gained per 90, as per FBref, thus illustrating his properties which can be properly fitted to the place.
Although Hato is an unrefined gem, he’s a jewel all the identical. And Slot has demonstrated throughout the previous 12 months his capability to elevate his countrymen – Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch – up and up into the higher sphere of European stars.
With Hato, he can repeat the trick, coaxing the participant right into a starring function over the following few years.
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