According to Mirror, Liverpool will have to offer record wages if they are to sign Ajax sensation Matthijs de Ligt. It is believed that about six top clubs are vying for the services of de Ligt this summer, with PSG even willing to offer up to £256 per week for the Dutch defensive gem.
That is considerably more than what Liverpool currently pay to their star players in Mohamed Salah (£200k) and Virgil van Dijk (£150k), according to the report. Hence, offering bigger wages to such a young and inexperienced individual could create a revolt in the dressing room.
Super agent Mino Raiola has claimed that Liverpool would be the ideal destination for the 19-year-old defensive superstar, but they have to smash their wage records to get the deal done.
Why should Klopp look away from de Ligt
Liverpool certainly cannot afford tensions inside the dressing room, just around a week after winning the UEFA Champions League. The Reds also finished second in the league table, losing to Manchester City by just a point in what was the best Premier League campaign in the club’s history.
Therefore, these are exciting times for Liverpool not only for the players but for the fans as well. Manager Jurgen Klopp has already built a strong relationship with FSG. And if reports from Goal are to be believed, talks are already ongoing in regards to an expansion in Anfield that could see the installation of 5000 more seats.
Furthermore, Liverpool are set to move to a new £50 million training complex at Kirkby next summer. This could bring together the first-team as well as the academy in one place – in what Klopp calls is going to be the “football headquarters of Merseyside“.
Hence, it’s probably fair to say that the Reds are booming not only from a sporting perspective but also from a financial perspective. And the event of a potential squad revolt could cripple their flow.
De Ligt’s style of play could also create problems
De Ligt is a ball playing defender, who likes to venture forward and pick out midfielders or wide-attackers with his laser passes. He is also adept in delivering accurate long diagonal balls to ease his team’s transition.
But, the fact that van Dijk is also equipped with similar traits could create conflict from a tactical perspective. Hence, it would perhaps be wiser for Liverpool to set their sights on a more robust and physically astute central defender to partner van Dijk in central defence next season.
Most importantly, however, agreeing de Ligt’s hefty valuation of £75 million will be a massive gamble from Liverpool’s point of view. The Reds are already in need of a new attacker after releasing Daniel Sturridge. Thus, the Merseyside giants should look away from signing this highly talented Ajax defender this summer as they aim to continue their push for the league title next season.
