David Lynch has pinpointed one name for Liverpool fans to ‘keep an eye on’ regarding potential summer signings at Anfield.
The Merseyside reporter was speaking with Football Insider colleague Fraser Fletcher about possible transfer activity for the Reds during the off-season when he touched upon prospective additions to Jurgen Klopp’s defence.
Among the centre-back targets to be mentioned of late is Micky van de Ven, who’s reportedly been tracked by LFC (The i Paper) and indicated that he could be open to leaving current club Wolfsburg if the opportunity arises.
In a recent video for Football Insider, Lynch outlined: “Another option they could become interested in is Micky van de Ven of Wolfsburg. Jorg Schmadtke will know him quite well from his time at Wolfsburg and I’m sure Jurgen Klopp will be familiar with him. Liverpool always keep their eyes on the German market.
“[He’s] a really quick player by all accounts and that’s what Liverpool look for. They like to have pace in the backline to help out that high line they play, and he can play that left-sided [role] as well. He’s a name who keeps popping up.
“I was told a few weeks ago that Liverpool were really looking at a Dutch centre-half. At the time I was convinced it was Jurrien Timber, but I’ve been discouraged from that. I don’t think it’s going to be Timber at all and that, to me, suggests Van de Ven is quite high up on that list.
“Once Liverpool have sorted their midfield issues out and got on who they need there, maybe Van de Ven is the one they look for. I think that is definitely the name to keep an eye on at the moment.”
The pacy attributes highlighted by Lynch were on show during the most recent Bundesliga season, with online footage (@attackthespaces on Twitter) showcasing the raw speed Van de Ven can boast, at one point clocking a sprint of almost 36 kilometres per hour.
He’d also fill a niche among Klopp’s squad in being a left-footed centre-back, something Liverpool currently don’t have at Anfield (Transfermarkt).
Reds fans will get to see the Wolfsburg defender in action during the European Under-21 Championship, having been selected for Netherlands’ squad for the tournament and captained them in his last two appearances for the side (Transfermarkt).
Aside from his sheer pace, Van de Ven is also an astute dribbler, with 0.58 successful take-ons per match last season, an average which placed him among the top 7% of centre-backs in Europe for that metric (FBref).
He has some standout attributes which appear to make him an ideal fit for Liverpool, and with Lynch talking him up as one to ‘keep an eye on’, there may yet be a decent chance that the Dutchman could team up with compatriot Virgil van Dijk in the heart of Klopp’s defence later this year.
You can view Lynch’s comments on Van de Ven below (from 8:41), via Football Insider on YouTube: