As Liverpool begin to rebuild their core this summer, the general consensus is that the club need to sign at least two first-team midfielders and one center back. Perhaps understandably given the problems of the previous season, midfield has been the subject of the most speculation.
22-year-old Wolfsburg center back Micky van de Ven, who is reportedly of particular interest to new transfer guru Jörg Schmadtke and has a rumored asking price of £25–30M, has however made a name for himself on the defensive front over the past 48 hours.
His age, height, and pace, all of which at least theoretically fit the mold of a Liverpool center back, are some of the factors that could make the Dutch rising star a sensible connection. The player’s personal fandom of the team could be another factor.
He told Wolfsburger Allgemeine, as reported by The Liverpool Echo, “I once went to the Liverpool stadium with my dad. On Boxing Day after Christmas, that happened. Liverpool vs Arsenal. That was crazy. Then, when ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ appears, it gives people goosebumps. That was really cool. To play there is a fantasy.”
Pictures of Van de Ven at that game, probably Liverpool’s 5-1 victory over Arsenal on December 29, 2019, have also started to circulate. In that match, Roberto Firmino scored three goals as Liverpool prevailed handily, with Sadio Mané and Mo Salah also scoring.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad match to experience the Anfield atmosphere. And while being a fan rarely leads to becoming a player, if Liverpool is genuinely interested in Van de Ven, it would seem a move to Merseyside would appeal.
