The mystery target for Liverpool is who? Arne Slot should sign $82 million superstar Jurgen Klopp ‘ignored

According to reports, Liverpool has found a transfer target to strengthen Arne Slot’s midfield; the Reds ought to pursue the $82 million superstar that Jurgen Klopp reportedly “rejected.”

Although Liverpool has not yet added a player this summer, it is anticipated that this will happen before August 30. The European transfer window closes on the penultimate day of the month.

The Athletic revealed earlier this week that Liverpool has designated a defensive midfield player as a top priority for the next three weeks or so, in addition to naming the individual to aim for in that role. Presumably, someone who isn’t in the Premier League right now has been picked; nonetheless, their identity is still a mystery.

Alan Varela of FC Porto and Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad are just two names that have been thrown around since that update surfaced as fans scramble to figure out who it could be. Arne Slot appears to be making changes at Anfield, though, so another player ought to be part of the discussion.

Previous attempts to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who left Ajax in 2019 for $82 million (£65 million/€75 million), had failed. The Dutchman has never been particularly eager to leave the Camp Nou team, and he may still be reluctant to do so, but from a profile standpoint, he might be perfect.

Based on Liverpool’s early preseason performance, it appears that Slot wants his team to be bold when they build up from the back, tempting the opposition into a press. The Reds will be attacking their opponents from the back with much more patience, hoping to breach their defensive line. To put it another way, imagine Brighton at the height of their powers under Roberto de Zerbi.

During the preseason tour to the USA, Curtis Jones provided a succinct summary of it. He explained, “I feel like this is more me,” at a news conference. “I’m better at catching the ball. I’m thrilled.

“We need to be comfortable on the ball and be calm in our build-up as a team,” Jones went on. “We are not rushing into combat. Teams must be broken down so that we may press after we give up the ball. It used to be a touch too direct, up and down, up and down, in a frenzy to get the ball back. We now aim to control the entire ball and destroy a team.”

De Jong would provide the quality in possession needed to move Liverpool up the pitch alongside Mac Allister in a formation more akin to a double pivot in the midfield. With his skill set, he can easily outmanoeuvre opponents and be the prototypical number six in the progressive mould. Although he hasn’t always demonstrated it at Barcelona, there is a talented player there waiting to be discovered.

De Jong was linked to Liverpool a lot in 2022; a report from Futbol Total at the time stated that the Reds were “ready” to offer an initial transfer fee of $69m (£54m/€63m) plus $8.8m (£6.9m/€8.0m) in add-ons for his services. This was just after Manchester United had a slightly higher bid accepted, but that fell through, and other similar claims in Spain surfaced.

Nearer home, Tim Sherwood asserted to “know” that Liverpool received an offer for De Jong in 2019. “Klopp received offers for a few players,” he said to talkSPORT. The analyst asserted that Klopp had to choose between De Jong and Fabinho, and that he chose the latter due to his more assertive style of play.

Now, though, a deal for De Jong would make a lot more sense, regardless of whether there is any truth to that at all—Liverpool plays a slightly different style and needs a player more in the smooth manner. Almost as soon as Slot was announced at Anfield, former Feyenoord player Kaj Ramsteijn made the suggestion, saying to Voetbal Primeu, “Take De Jong with you! That seems like it would be a great club for him. I genuinely want to see Frenkie compete for prizes because I think he is that excellent.”

The midfielder Liverpool is said to have identified is yet unknown, but that information should surface sooner rather than later. However, De Jong is a good illustration of the type of player that it ought to be. A Barcelona-educated Ajax graduate would be the perfect addition for Slot as he steers the Reds towards what Tyler Morton referred to as “Total Football” earlier this week.