Anfield legend Robbie Fowler believes his former club Liverpool should ‘take a look’ at signing Micky van de Ven from Tottenham.
Liverpool fans are sweating over the longer term of star defender and club captain Virgil van Dijk, who can be out of contract come the summer.
Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold have also entered the ultimate six months of their contracts at Anfield, with Liverpool keen to get no less than considered one of the trio to increase their stay on Merseyside.
However the Reds must no less than begin to take into consideration life after Van Dijk and their former striker Fowler believes Van de Ven could possibly be a really perfect substitute.
Van de Ven has enjoyed a formidable if injury-prone spell at Tottenham since his £43m move from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg in 2023.
The 23-year-old, who’s currently out injured and missed Sunday’s much-needed victory over Manchester United, has established himself as among the finest centre-backs within the Premier League over the past 18 months.
Fowler reckons the Netherlands international would ‘look right in a Liverpool shirt’ and could possibly be the person to interchange Van Dijk should he depart Anfield this summer.
Ex-England striker Fowler named Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen as an alternative choice for Liverpool as they brace themselves for a very important summer given the possible high-profile departures.
‘In terms of potentially replacing Virgil van Dijk, I’m an enormous fan of each Dean Huijsen at Bournemouth and Micky van de Ven at Tottenham,’ Fowler told BoyleSports.
‘Having said that, we’re talking about players who are usually not nearly as good as Van Dijk, he is absolutely the stand out within the Premier League and all effort ought to be made to maintain him on the club.
‘As a football fan you wish your club to maintain improving and keep signing good worthwhile players, but to begin with it’s about keeping your best players on the club.
‘He’s a Rolls Royce of a player and I do think that the sport looks too easy for him at times, he’s an amazing player and an amazing leader. We’re within the realms of just giving him what he wants to make sure he stays.
‘There are good players on the market but nobody nearly as good as him, if he does go then it ought to be someone that knows the Premier League.
‘Someone who knows the speed and the intensity. But replacing Van Dijk with anyone is a bet.
‘I’m the kind of fan that thinks in case you’re not on the market signing good players then you definately’re slipping behind the competition and are slipping backwards.
‘In case you’re not doing that and improving the squad you possibly can plateau. In terms of Micky van de Ven, he’s a really, superb player despite having his injury problems.
‘I believe he is robust, fast and I believe he would look right in a Liverpool shirt. I do know Tottenham fans won’t need to hear that nevertheless it’s a compliment to him as a player that I believe the league leaders must have a have a look at him.’
Tottenham have struggled to address their long injury list in recent weeks but beat Manchester United 1-0 due to James Maddison’s first-half goal.
Van Dijk and Liverpool were also in motion on Sunday, beating Wolves 2-1 to maneuver seven points above Premier League title rivals Arsenal, who won earlier within the weekend.
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