Liverpool are reportedly making moves behind the scenes to add to their already healthy Dutch contingent at Anfield.
The Netherlands trio of Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo were all key players in the Reds’ Premier League title triumph this season, and of course the team’s success was masterminded by a Dutchman in Arne Slot.
The aforementioned trio were already at the club by the time the 46-year-old took over from Jurgen Klopp last summer, but the Bergentheim-born tactician seemingly now has eyes on a first signing from his homeland since taking charge on Merseyside.
Liverpool preparing first offer for Xavi Simons
According to sources close to Empire of the Kop, Liverpool are preparing to submit an opening offer of approximately €60m (£51.1m) for Xavi Simons, who they plan to evaluate as part of the club’s strategy to bolster their attacking options.
Slot is confident that the presence of the 22-year-old’s international teammates Van Dijk, Gravenberch and Gakpo could sway the RB Leipzig forward towards joining the Premier League champions, and such a move could become more plausible if his current side fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
However, there’s a strong chance that the Reds’ first bid for the Dutch attacker is rejected, as the Bundesliga side might only be willing to sell him for a fee in the region of €70m-€80m (£59.6m-£68.1m).
Simons starred in front of Liverpool scouts on Saturday
Liverpool are understood to have had a scouting delegation at RB Leipzig’s 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich on Saturday (Daily Mail), in which Simons provided a superb assist for a truly jaw-dropping goal from fellow Reds-linked target Benjamin Sesko.
The Dutchman was his team’s highest-rated player by Sofascore metrics, having ended the afternoon with two assists, five successful duels, one shot on target, two key passes and two big chances created. It isn’t for nothing that his former boss Marco Rose hailed him as a ‘difference-maker‘ for his side.
Despite the 22-year-old’s fine display against the Bundesliga champions-elect yesterday, the Red Bull-owned outfit are in real danger of missing out on Champions League football for next season. They have just two matches remaining this term and could find themselves four points off the top four if Freiburg defeat Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
If RB Leipzig fail to secure a seat at Europe’s top table or 2025/26, they may be forced to lower their asking price for Simons, particularly if he were to push for an exit to a club such as Liverpool who’d be able to sate his appetite in that regard. Fabrizio Romano has already indicated that a summer transfer for the Dutchman is a ‘concrete possibility’.
Could the Netherlands international be the prolific number 10 for which Jamie Carragher has called at Anfield? A return of 10 goals and eight assists this season doesn’t suggest that he’d be a game-changer for the Reds in that respect, but it seems that Anfield chiefs are prepared to test the waters with Zsolt Lőw’s side.
Let’s see how the Bundesliga club respond to any future approach from Merseyside.
