The ‘target’ Jörg Schmadtke who had ‘goosebumps’ at Anfield may be the newest playmaker for Liverpool.

One player who ‘dreams’ of playing at Anfield and is purportedly Jörg Schmadtke’s target may be the perfect alternative for an underappreciated playmaker for Liverpool.

Although Jörg Schmadtke only recently agreed to a short-term contract to serve as Liverpool’s sporting director, it might not be long before he leaves his mark on the Reds.

Schmadtke ‘wants something’ from his former team Wolfsburg, according a WAZ article (via Sport Witness). Between the summer of 2018 and this winter, the 59-year-old worked at the Volkswagen Arena for four and a half years.

And now that he’s reportedly seeking a reunion with Merseyside defender Micky van de Ven, 22, the center-half’s extraordinary speed is what Liverpool fans are most thrilled about.

His astounding top speed of 22.6 mph (36.4 kph) has been recorded by bundesliga.com as one of the ten highest top speeds in the German top flight since records have been kept.

But his ability to carry a ball is one of his other most remarkable traits. In terms of progressive carries per 90 minutes (1.3) and carries into the final third (1.03), Van de Ven stands in the 90th percentile among positional counterparts in Europe’s top five leagues during the past year.

Only two central defenders in the Bundesliga this year have recorded more advanced carries than Van de Ven (43), Waldemar Anton of Stuttgart and Piero Hincapié of Bayer Leverkusen. The data is considerably more impressive when taken into account.

The Wolfsburg player has spent the most of his games (85%) in the center of the defense, while Anton has mostly played as a right-back (about 35%) and Hincapié has mostly played as a left-back or left wing-back (43%).

A center-back pushing into advanced areas is particularly apparent since defenders normally have more freedom to advance on the sides.

Jol Matip, who is entering the final year of his contract and may depart Liverpool during the summer transfer window, may be perfectly replaced by Van de Ven in this regard, according to Goal.

Matip, who ranks in the very top percentile for the two aforementioned categories, is quietly one of Europe’s busiest center halves. Since neither Virgil van Dijk nor Ibrahima Konaté can duplicate the Cameroonian’s line-breaking dribbling ability, he was a relatively well-kept secret as various teams battled to contain him.

Few teams prepare to be attacked by a center defender, which is why Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool are aware of how beneficial this may be. If Matip is lost, it may be crucial to re-add a “hidden” playmaker.

This may be one of the factors contributing to Van de Ven’s potential attractiveness to Anfield’s recruitment figures beyond Schmadtke.

The Reds have a major advantage over their rivals in addition to their sporting director’s connections: Van de Ven has a great deal of respect for the team.

He stated in January (via ECHO) that he once visited the Liverpool stadium with his father. “That occurred on Boxing Day after Christmas. Arsenal vs. Liverpool. That was insane.

“Then, when ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ starts playing, that’s a goosebump moment, and that was really great. To play there is a dream.

Given that Van de Ven appears to be the perfect stylistic fit, it wouldn’t be surprising if that “dream” came true in the coming months.