If a report from Tuttosport is believed to be true, Liverpool are showing strong interest in Juventus teenager Dean Huijsen ahead of a potential summer swoop. But they are not alone in the race with Premier League rivals Newcastle United also keeping close tabs on the young centre-back.
A new era beacons at Merseyside under Arne Slot who replaced Jurgen Klopp as the new Anfield boss. Yet the Reds remain inactive in the transfer market despite recent links with Riccardo Calafiori and Leny Yoro. Yoro, in particular, was on their radar for quite some time, but his staggering €62m (plus €8m add-ons) move to bitter rivals Manchester United has forced them to focus on other options with a similar profile.
Huijsen, 19, progressed through the academy ranks of Costa Unida CF and Malaga in Spain before plying his trade to Juventus in 2021. Having featured for their U17s, U19s and Next Gen sides, the youngster was promoted to the senior set-up soon after making his first-team debut last November. The substitute appearance against AC Milan remains his only official senior outing so far considering an ambitious January loan to AS Roma for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign.
He was a regular in Rome under Daniele de Rossi with 14 games across competitions. But his exclusion from Juventus’ pre-season trip has now sparked the speculations. Huijsen reportedly agreed on personal terms with PSG until 2029. However, the French giants’ €20m bid for the centre-half has been rebuffed by The Old Lady who are holding out for at least €30m. Bundesliga hotshots Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, and VfB Stuttgart are also in the mix for Huijsen, and the Merseysiders, therefore, must act quickly if their data-driven model approves a move for the teenage prodigy.
Why Liverpool Should Secure His Services Before It Gets Too Late
The former Netherlands youth international, who recently switched his allegiance to Spain, holds a very high ceiling. At 6 ft 5 in, he has exhibited both aerial and physical supremacy while defending as well as attacking set-pieces. His passing and ball-playing traits tick the boxes to fit in Liverpool’s style of play.
Although the Reds have released Joel Matip upon his contract expiry, the rise of Jarell Quansah has restored parity in deep defence. Skipper Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and the versatile Joe Gomez offer quality in the heart of the backline, but a few factors might come into play if they do not opt for a new defender before next month’s deadline.
While Konate is undergoing a stop-start stint due to persistent injury problems, Gomez has featured more as a makeshift fullback in the recent past. Quansah is too young to step in and deliver week in, and week out, also, the likes of Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio could be offloaded permanently after several loan spells over the last couple of years. Wantaway Sepp van den Berg asked the club to lower the asking fee amid interest from PSV, and it remains to be seen how the Dutch boss and the board handle the situation with many decisions to make over the next few weeks.
