‘Klopp will want to strengthen’ - Liverpool could go for ‘monster’ 2023 signing


The Reds are the subject of an ongoing injury crisis, with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, alongside loan summer signing Arthur Melo, all missing the majority of the season so far.

Spanish outlet Sport recently claimed that the Anfield outfit may look at bringing the 25-year-old De Jong to the Premier League as early as January if none of the sidelined players return fit and firing before then, though could face competition from Manchester United.

Keita returned to training this week, but it appears as though that hasn’t dampened the links to De Jong.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League defender Hutton insisted that Liverpool should do everything to sign De Jong:

“He is a fantastic player. There is no getting away from that fact, we all know it. Of course it is going to come down to transfer fees and wages and things like that.

“Does he come in to the Liverpool midfield and make it better? Of course he does. He is a top class football player.

“I have always said I think it is an area where I think Jurgen Klopp will want to strengthen, whether it be January or next summer.

He will know he needs players in if he is going to continue the progress of Liverpool. That is no slight on the players that are already there but I think De Jong would make them a better team.

De Jong still has four years remaining on his contract at Camp Nou so it won’t be easy to prise him away, but the Merseysiders should complete this deal if the opportunity does arise.

A midfield ‘monster’, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Dutch starlet has provided 18 assists and scored 14 goals in La Liga (Transfermarkt) and currently averages an excellent 91.6% pass success rate, showing he can not only dictate matches but also provide end product from the centre of the park.

He holds that crucial creative spark along with an all-action nature that Klopp would surely love, and would be a fantastic addition to the midfield should he put pen to paper next year.