Arne Slot will be hoping his first season as manager of Liverpool Football Club can do outgoing boss Jurgen Klopp justice, the legendary German bowing out at the end of last season after a stellar stint at Anfield.
His replacement, former Feyenoord boss Slot, will have a big task on his hands to live up to the legacy. Klopp’s tenure at the Reds saw him lift one each of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, as well as two League Cups, the Club World Cup and the UEFA Supercup.
Although the 19-time English Champions are yet to make a signing this summer, their new Dutchman at the helm will no doubt be dreaming of lifting the two major prizes next season; the Premier League and the Champions League. Whilst it will be a tough campaign, he has some players in his squad who are game-changers, including Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah.
However, recently, they have been linked with another player who could come into the club and have an immediate impact on the side, shoring up the centre of the midfield for the Reds.
Liverpool target Eredivisie midfielder
The player in question here is PSV and Netherlands midfielder Joey Veerman. The 25-year-old has impressed for PSV in recent seasons, and could now be in line to get a major move away from the club this summer.
According to a report from CaughtOffside, Liverpool 'have their eye on' the defensive midfielder this summer, and could launch a bid as they look to add strength and depth at the base of their midfield, with Wataru Endo currently their only viable option there.
However, the Reds would not be the only club looking to sign Veerman this summer. The report explains that their arch-rivals, Manchester United are also interested in adding him to their squad. He explains that, given the Dutch core building at Old Trafford, it makes sense for the Red Devils to launch a bid as an alternative to doing a deal for Manuel Ugarte.
At this stage, a price for Veerman has not been named, as stated by Anfield Watch earlier this week. However, the 25-year-old is valued at £18.6m by Football Transfers, so could cost anything from that price and upwards.
Why Veerman would be a good signing
Last season, Veerman was one of the best players in the Eredivisie. Not only did he put in some impressive performances in midfield, but he contributed to lots of goals. The 25-year-old played 29 games in the Dutch top flight last term, grabbed five goals and registered a very impressive 16 assists along the way.
Should they bring Veerman into the club this summer, Liverpool might well have finally signed a replacement for long-term number six, Fabinho. The Brazilian played 291 times for the Reds and won both the Premier League and Champions League.
Whilst the pair are somewhat different, with Veerman working better in a double pivot and the Brazilian operating well as a lone number six, it is still a deal that would see them replace the Al-Ittihad man, who they sold 12 months ago for a rumoured £40m.
You can compare their Fbref stats to build a good picture of just how good Veerman is in contrast to Fabinho, whose stats from Liverpool’s title-winning season of 2019/20 will be used in the comparison.
Firstly, when it comes to defensive actions, Fabinho just about edges the Dutchman out. The former Real Madrid man averaged 4.16 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes in 2019/20, compared to 3.32 for Veerman.
However, the Dutch midfielder’s average amount of ball recoveries made per game last season trumped Fabinho’s from the 2019/20 campaign. He averaged 7.21 compared to the former Brazil international’s 6.8 each game.
Stat (per 90)
Veerman (2023/24)
Fabinho (2019/20)
Tackles and interceptions
3.32
4.16
Clearances
1.25
0.82
Blocks
1.13
1.08
Ball recoveries
7.21
6.8
Aerial duel win %
54.4%
59.4%
In terms of on the ball, Veerman’s quality is shown through when looking at his stats. He averages 11.8 progressive passes per 90, compared to just 5.58 by Fabinho each game in 2019/20. Veerman also plays far more key passes per 90, too, with 4.91 compared to just 0.82 for Fabinho in 2019/20.
Here, context must be used, because Liverpool’s more direct style of play under Klopp may well mean that he had less opportunity to make those progressive passes as they got the ball forward quicker.
It seems clear that, in bringing Veerman in, they would be adding a “monster” midfielder with great quality on the ball into their squad, as football analyst Ben Mattinson called him.
Whilst he would need to play in a double pivot to be most effective, with the likes of Endo or Alexis Mac Allister, the Dutchman could be an excellent first addition to Slot’s squad this summer and the man to finally fill Fabinho's void.
Liverpool could sign Endo upgrade with move for £21m "machine"
The interest is raining down on this tough-tackling up-and-comer.
ByAngus Sinclair Jul 31, 2024
