A Serie A star Liverpool are in pole position to sign has demanded to leave his current club this summer in an eye-opening interview, handing the Reds a perfect opportunity.
Midfield rebuild 2.0 at Anfield
With Jurgen Klopp leaving, it is unclear what shape Liverpool will take next season, though it is likely that there will be overhaul in some areas.
Having lost Jordan Henderson and Fabinho last summer, the Reds added four new players to their ranks to replace them, but there is still a feeling they could use one more addition in the centre of the park with Thiago set to leave the Premier League this summer and both Dominik Szoboszlai and Stefan Bajcetic struggling with muscle injuries.
Liverpool's current midfield options
Player
Age
Contract until
Wataru Endo
31
2027
Stefan Bajcetic
19
2027
Ryan Gravenberch
21
2028
Dominik Szoboszlai
23
2028
Alexis Mac Allister
25
2028
Curtis Jones
23
2027
Harvey Elliot
20
2027
Thiago
32
2024
As a result, there is constant speculation about what the future may hold, and there could be further movement in that department before the new season.
Teun Koopmeiners demands move amid Liverpool interest
One man that Liverpool have regularly been linked with is Teun Koopmeiners, with the ex-AZ Alkmaar midfielder having been on plenty of club's shortlists even before his move to Atalanta in 2021.
Since then, his stock has continued to soar and the 26-year-old is now one of the hottest midfield properties in Europe, solidifiying that with a breakout campaign this year, racking up 10 goals and 3 assists in the Serie A to date. Juventus are thought to be tracking him, along with Manchester United and Jurgen Klopp's side.
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However, it has recently been reported that it is Liverpool that are 'leading the race' for his signature this summer, with Koopmeiners valued at around £50m by current club Atalanta.
And the Reds may have been handed a massive helping hand in their attempts to land him, with Koopmeiners himself revealing that he wants to leave Atalanta this summer, and piling the pressure on the Serie A side to let him leave.
"Last year there was concrete interest from Napoli. However, in the end the two clubs did not find an agreement. I told Atalanta that in the coming summer I want to leave", the maestro told Dutch outlet De Telegraaf.
And though he admitted it would take something 'really interesting' to make him leave Bergamo this summer, he was clear that his preference was the Premier League.
"My fiancée and I are having a great time in Italy, but for some clubs in England I could even bear the rainy days there… I hope options present themselves so I can think about it", he continued.
With a contingent of Dutch players already present at Anfield, the Reds could bolster their ranks further this summer with the addition of Koopmeiners, though despite his pleas he is unlikely to come cheap.