Report: Liverpool ‘seriously considering’ move for Pedri clone who Slot has admired for years
Liverpool are reportedly giving strong consideration to a move for a midfielder who Arne Slot has known and admired for many years.
After spending almost £450m on new signings during the summer transfer window, there’ll be plenty of attention on what (if anything) the Reds do when the market reopens in January.
Lewis Steele indicated in recent days that mid-season arrivals are ‘more unlikely than likely’, albeit with the caveat that circumstances could change, and Richard Hughes is understood to be looking towards one of the most heralded young talents from the head coach’s homeland.
Liverpool ‘seriously considering’ a move for Kees Smit
According to Dutch outlet Soccernews, Liverpool are ‘seriously considering’ an approach to AZ Alkmaar for teenage midfielder Kees Smit, who has ‘charmed’ Slot since he was only 10 years old.
Now 19, he’s been monitored by the Reds for several months and would reportedly be ‘interested in a transfer’ as he seeks to compete ‘at the highest level’.
The Eredivisie outfit are understood to be holding out for what’d be a club-record sale for them, surpassing the €25m (£22.1m) that they received from AC Milan for Tijjani Reijnders in 2023.
Smit has earned comparisons with Pedri
Smit was recently the recipient of lofty praise from Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman, who likened the teenager’s skill set to that of Barcelona star Pedri (Soccernews), and his underlying statistics point to his diverse range of qualities.
As per FBref, the youngster ranks among the top 20% of midfielders in Europe over the past year with his match averages for assists (0.13), shots (1.75), shot-creating actions (4.12), progressive carries (1.97) and successful take-ons (1.14).
The 19-year-old operates primarily in central midfield, but can also be deployed as a number 6 or 10 and has even filled in as a winger on occasion (Transfermarkt), offering a tactical versatility which’ll surely appeal to Slot, who of course was previously in charge of AZ.
Competition for a starting midfield berth at Liverpool is fierce, so Smit might have to be content with a backup role initially if he were to move to Anfield, but it’s a challenge that he might embrace rather than be intimidated by.
Other parts of the squad might require more immediate attention in L4 – centre-back immediately springs to mind – but the Dutch teenager could be one to keep a close eye on over the next few months. It’ll be intriguing to see if the Reds’ reported interest intensifies.
You can watch Slot’s full post-Man City press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
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