According to reports from Italy, Liverpool could make a move this summer for a Serie A-based teenager who’s in high demand.
This morning’s print edition of Gazzetta Dello Sport claimed (via Paisley Gates) that the Reds are preparing a ‘real offensive’ for Dean Huijsen, who’s currently on loan at Roma from Juventus.
The 18-year-old centre-back is also the subject of interest from RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, with the Bianconeri valuing him at €30m (£25.7m) and possibly willing to do business for that amount, given their need to raise funds through player sales in order to move forward with their own transfer plans in the summer.
Huijsen – who was born in Amsterdam but last week made his debut for Spain’s under-21s – has been making the most of his loan spell with Roma, where 12 appearances thus far have yielded two goals and an assist (Transfermarkt).
A man mountain at 6 foot 5, he boasts an ideal combination of pace and stamina, while he’s comfortable playing the ball with either foot and has a richly varied passing range, with Jacek Kulig of Football Transfer Scout spotting echoes of Ben White, John Stones and Declan Rice in his play.
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That’s a very well-rounded skill set for an 18-year-old, but whether he’d be ready to make the leap to Liverpool’s first team is a matter for debate – despite his current run in the Giallorossi side, he’s still played just 13 senior matches in his fledgling career (Transfermarkt).
There could be scope to bring in a centre-back this summer if, as expected, Joel Matip’s rapidly expiring contract isn’t renewed, while Fabrizio Romano has indicated that the Anfield hierarchy ‘would start speaking with agents’ to explore the market in that position ahead of the summer.
As with any current LFC transfer rumours, the link to Huijsen comes with the caveat of not yet knowing who’ll be managing the team from June onwards, with the search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor ongoing all the time.
We’d advise to wait for further outlets to corroborate Gazzetta’s initial report, although the 18-year-old does seem like an intriguing prospect who could be worth keeping an eye on for the remainder of the season.
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