Liverpool have taken their first step towards signing Arne Slot favourite Teun Koopmeiners by formally ‘registering their interest’ in the star, a report has revealed.
Slot has agreed to take charge of Liverpool this summer, replacing Anfield icon Jurgen Klopp. Slot is incredibly ambitious and believes he can make a huge impact in the Premier League, despite only ever having managed in the Eredivisie before.
As part of a re-jig at the top of the Liverpool hierarchy, Slot will become Liverpool’s new head coach rather than manager. This means new sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group CEO Michael Edwards will have the final say on transfers.
However, Slot can still recommend the players he thinks will fit perfectly into his new system at Liverpool.
The 45-year-old coach wants Liverpool to bring in a new left-footed centre-back, with Goncalo Inacio and Willian Pacho two options being considered.
Slot is also eager for Liverpool to snare Koopmeiners, the creative midfielder who has established himself as one of Atalanta’s biggest stars in recent years.
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Last week, Ben Jacobs claimed that Koopmeiners is not a concrete target for Liverpool, but the Reds appear to have performed a big U-turn.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool have ‘made their first move’ to sign the Dutch ace by ‘registering their interest’ in him.
Liverpool transfers: Reds battle Juventus for top midfielder
Liverpool chiefs have told Koopmeiners’ agent that they would love to strike a deal this summer, should Atalanta be open to reasonable offers. It has previously been claimed that the Serie A club will sell if a €60million (£52m) bid comes in, a price which is within Liverpool’s reach.
However, Liverpool are not currently the frontrunners to snap the attacking midfielder up. Instead, it is Atalanta’s Italian rivals Juventus who are leading the charge, as they have so far completed the most groundwork for a potential deal.
It is now up to Slot and Liverpool to disrupt that move and try to convince the 26-year-old on a switch to Merseyside.
Liverpool scouts were left very impressed by Koopmeiners when he played a crucial role in Atalanta knocking the Reds out of the Europa League in the quarter-finals last month.
Slot already knows Koopmeiners very well, having worked with him at AZ Alkmaar and even made the Netherlands international club captain.
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