Liverpool Can Sign Dias 2.0 In “Tenacious” £44m “Leader”

Liverpool are interested in signing Ajax centre-back Jurrien Timber this summer, ahead of what is set to be a score of sweeping changes at Anfield.

What’s the latest on Jurrien Timber to Liverpool?

Ex-Netherlands star Andy van der Meyde expects Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to complete a transfer for the dynamic defender (as relayed by TEAMtalk), who is said to be touted at €50m (£44m) by his Amsterdam outfit.

This follows previous seasonal reports from the likes of 90min, who credited Liverpool with a strong interest in the defender, alongside top European clubs such as Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich.

The 21-year-old still has two years remaining on his current deal with De Godenzonen, but if the likes of Liverpool do put forth a compelling offer, it would appear his departure from his homeland’s capital would be a formality.

Should Liverpool sign Jurrien Timber?

While the emphasis will be on bolstering the midfield this summer at Anfield, with the central issues highlighted all season and James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departing upon the expiry of their respective contracts, the defence has not been as imperious as it once was.

Timber is one of the most robust defenders in world football; as per FBref, the 15-cap Netherlands international ranks among the top 12% of positional peers at a similar level of competition for rate of assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, as well as the top 1% for pass completion, progressive passes and progressive carries.

These metrics illustrate an all-encompassing aura that leaves him in good stead to flourish at one of Europe’s first-rate outfits.

Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool’s star £75m colossus, is a prime example for Timber to emulate, while Manchester City defender Rúben Dias could also be the perfect confrere, having soared into prominence since his £65m move to the Etihad Stadium in 2019.

The £180k-per-week Portuguese phenom ranks among the top 1% of defenders across Europe’s top five leagues for passes attempted per 90 and the top 2% for pass completion, while he has been hailed as a “man mountain” by former Citizen Michael Ball.

Albeit not at the same level, Timber clearly boasts similar qualities, and has been dubbed “tenacious” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, which illustrates the unrelenting intensity that goes in tandem with Klopp’s tactical vision.

Timber is a future “leader” – as praised by Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag – and could cement the fluidity of the Reds’ backline for years to come, enriching the club’s prospects of clinching silverware in abundance over the next decade.