Assessing the Feyenoord stars who could follow Arne Slot to Liverpool
It is now very much a case of when and not if Arne Slot replaces Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager after the Reds finally agreed on a compensation package with Feyenoord for the Dutch tactician.
Slot’s public eagerness to succeed Klopp no doubt helped negotiations between the two clubs but the Eredivisie side still managed to hold out for £9.4m and a move now appears to be a formality.
The Dutchman is likely going to want to put his stamp on things despite inheriting a talented group of players. The temptation might be to raid his former side and bring in one or two who know his way of working and his system so that he has players on the pitch who can get his message across during what could be a transitional period. The fact Lutsharel Geertruida, his skipper for Feyenoord, was at Liverpool’s game against West Ham United can’t be a coincidence.
So we’ll start with the 23-year-old. The versatile defender has been linked with a host of clubs over the past 12 months. At one stage last summer, it appeared as though he would be heading to RB Leipzig but the Bundesliga side pivoted at the very last minute to bring in Castello Lukeba. Geertruida has also been linked with Bayern Munich while Real Madrid reportedly viewed him as an alternative to Trent Alexander-Arnold in their search for Dani Carvajal’s successor.
The right-back didn’t let speculation surrounding his future impact his performances this term. If anything, he’s just ramped things up. Slot has used his captain in a variety of roles with Geertruida turning out at right-back, left-back and centre-back. When deployed as a right-back, he inverts to really involve himself in things and it has allowed him to have his most productive season to date with six goals and four assists in the Eredivisie.
His contract situation makes him even more of an intriguing option. With just one year left on his deal, a move might make sense for everyone involved. Feyenoord are compensated fairly, Slot gets one of his trusted players and Geertruida gets a move to a big club under a manager who knows his strengths. After all. the Reds do need defensive reinforcements.
Another who might be on Slot’s list is Mats Weiffer. The 24-year-old midfielder was tentatively linked with a switch to Anfield last summer during Liverpool’s midfield overhaul. The Reds opted not to sign a like-for-like Fabinho replacement though and the Dutch midfielder remained in the Netherlands despite interest from Milan.
His 2022/23 form has continued into the 2023/24 campaign. His performances this term see him rank fifth when looking at the WhoScored average rating in the Eredivise with 7.61.
He is a ball magnet in the middle third. But he is not just a destroyer. Weiffer will win the ball, keep the ball and then progress the ball. He ranks fairly high up for most on-ball and off-ball metrics this season in the Dutch top-flight.
If Slot wants someone to be an anchor in his double pivot, Weiffer would likely fit the bill. The 6ft 2in midfielder can play multiple roles too, making him even more of an asset.
It is a bizarre thing to say given the number of goals scored by the Reds this season but the attacking unit could do with a reinforcement or two. This could see Santiago Gimenez get a mention. The Argentine-born Mexico international was reportedly a target for a number of top European clubs last summer after a stellar debut campaign with Feyenoord. He netted 15 goals as Slot’s men claimed an unlikely league title.
Spurs reportedly earmarked him as a successor to Harry Kane, Chelsea held an interest in the 23-year-old while Real Madrid and Barcelona kept tabs on the free-scoring forward.
With three games remaining in the Eredivisie this term, Gimenez has already smashed his haul from last season, finding the back of the net on 21 occasions. He’s on 26 goal involvements for the season in the Dutch top-flight.
Slot knows he’s a reliable goal threat and Liverpool might feel as though they need someone just like that to spearhead a new era.
Finally, we have David Hancko. He is another who has been linked with a move to Merseyside in the past. The 26-year-old centre-back would bolster Liverpool’s defensive unit. They are set to lose Joel Matip on a free while there are question marks over Ibrahima Konate due to his inability to stay fit for consistent periods.
Hancko has been a key player for Slot, even turning out at left-back from time to time and chipping in with big goals for Feyenoord. He only penned a new, long-term deal in February but Liverpool have the finances to convince the Dutch team to cash in on the Slovakia international if they really did want to provide Slot with a welcome gift.
