Liverpool's hopes of winning the Premier League in Jurgen Klopp's final season are bordering on minute – despite trailing league leaders Arsenal by just three points with four fixtures to play.
Manchester City's resounding victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday saw the defending champions reclaim second place with a game still in hand, and Pep Guardiola's track record in title run-ins hardly sparks optimism that the Reds can forge a late fightback.
Still, there's much to be proud of, and much to look forward to following last summer's sweeping changes to the midfield, reviving the outfit after last year's staggering decline.
Arne Slot is all but confirmed to be succeeding Klopp as the Liverpool helmsman and while this is a nervously exciting time for the Reds, he will require reinforcements across various areas of the field, with recent news suggesting a star has already been identified.
Liverpool eyeing Serie A star
According to yesterday's edition of Italian paper La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Liverpool are above all in the race to sign Teun Koopmeiners from Atalanta, with the Netherlands international still fresh from dumping Liverpool out of the Europa League.
The report claims that La Dea would listen to offers totalling a ballpark €60m (£51m) figure, though whether FSBG are willing to facilitate such an outlay after focusing on a midfield rebuild last summer remains to be seen – additions are needed in other areas too.
While it's a boost that Koopmeiners seeks a route away from Atalanta, his high-quality style has already attracted a host of rival suitors and Liverpool will need to work quickly to ensure they net their target.
Teun Koopmeiners' season in numbers
Koopmeiners is a dynamic player with strengths across different areas, having played in every area of the midfield this term and even featured on the right wing on several occasions.
Atalanta plucked Koopmeiners from his homeland in 2021, signing him from AZ Alkmaar, and he has since completed 120 appearances, racking up 41 goal contributions and cementing himself at the core of the outfit's style.
In Serie A this season, as per Sofascore, the 26-year-old has scored 11 goals and supplied four assists across 29 appearances, completing 81% of his passes, averaging 1.8 key passes, 1.2 tackles and 4.4 ball recoveries per game, with his performances establishing him as an "elite" presence in Italy, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.
He's also featured heavily on the continent, starting seven times in the Europa League and playing every minute as Gian Piero Gasperini's side triumphed over lacklustre Liverpool in this month's quarter-finals, winning 12 duels and making seven tackles across the two contests, highlighting his defensive qualities.
Given that he has previously established himself under Slot, at AZ, it would seem that there's weight to these developing rumours, with Koopmeiners actually playing 58 matches under his fellow Dutchman's management.
Why Teun Koopmeiners is perfect for Liverpool
Considering Koopmeiners' myriad strengths discussed above, there's little reason why Liverpool should not forge ahead with a move for his signature this summer – especially when considering his desire to leave and his multi-functionality in midfield.
As per FBref, Koopmeiners ranks among the top 21% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 17% for progressive passes and the top 5% for clearances per 90.
His playing style is not too dissimilar to that of West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta, who is endowed with athleticism and creativity but doesn't shirk away from his defensive duties and is willing to contribute across different phases of play.
With a stylistic semblance to that of Jude Bellingham and Kevin De Bruyne too, there is every reason to forge ahead with a move, opening up another dimension to the Reds' midfield and ensuring that Klopp's departure does not spark a nosedive.
#
Player
Club
1.
Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
2.
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
3.
James Maddison
Tottenham Hotspur
4.
Lucas Paqueta
West Ham United
5.
Xavi Simons
RB Leipzig
But, perhaps more aptly, Koopmeiners offers many attributes of his compatriot Gini Wijnaldum, and could actually be shaped into that kind of metronomic presence in the centre of the park for Slot's soon-arriving system on Merseyside.
The £32k-per-week Atalanta star might even be "10x the player Wijnaldum" was, according to Dutch writer Kees van Hemmen, perhaps equipped to emulate such a role in a new, reformed Liverpool side.
Wijnaldum was one of the most underrated cogs in Klopp's Liverpool system at its apex, rarely getting in amongst the goals but playing an invaluable part in the gleaning of a range of major honours such as the Premier League and Champions League, among others.
Signed from relegated Newcastle United in a £25m transfer back in 2016, the Netherlands gem would go on to complete 237 matches for Liverpool, scoring 22 times – he was even described as "irreplaceable" by Richard Jolly.
And having never fallen below an 87% passing average during his years at Liverpool, Wijnaldum's prowess as a crisp and cultured midfielder is truly underscored.
Koopmeiners is certainly not a carbon copy but he would offer technical skill on a similar level to that of his countryman, hailed for his "complete" skill set by Dutch legend Ruud Krol – and he's intelligent to boot.
Liverpool could turn 3/10 flop into a 'generational star' by hiring Slot
It’s not just Darwin Nunez who could find a window of opportunity arise from the shifting cogs at Anfield this summer.
ByAngus Sinclair Apr 25, 2024
Liverpool must now weigh up their options, discuss specifics with Slot, when the time comes. For certain, though, Koopmeiners has quality in abundance and he would be a brilliant addition to a reshaped Liverpool side, having won over Slot's trust long ago.