Liverpool recruitment chiefs are facing a potential fight for the signature of highly-rated Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen – with Chelsea also harboring an interest in the starlet’s services.
The Cherries center-back is expected to attract interest from a host of leading clubs in the upcoming transfer window following a breakout season at the Vitality Stadium. The South Coast outfit provided the Spanish international with the springboard to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s foremost emerging talents after joining from Juventus last summer.
The Amsterdam-born youngster struggled to break into the first-team reckoning in Turin, with his move to Bournemouth having come following a loan spell at Roma. Under the tutelage of Andoni Iraola, he has played 25 times in the English top flight, bringing him to the attention of elite clubs including Liverpool.
According to The Athletic, the Reds could face a battle to sign the twice-capped Spain defender in the coming months, with Chelsea also interested in acquiring the player. In fact, the report contends that the Blues are currently thought of as the “front-runners” for his signature by Anfield chiefs.
Either way, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot appears to be feeling positive about the prospect of attracting top new recruits this summer after the club’s historic league win. To date, the Dutchman has only welcomed Federico Chiesa to the squad he inherited from Jurgen Klopp last year.
(Image: Photo by Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
He said: “It definitely helps, I think, to attract new players as well, because mostly the players that we want to have, we are not the only clubs who think they are good players so these players have probably more options.”
“In the background, of course, I did this already a little bit, because it’s not like after we won the league, that’s the first time Richard (Hughes) called me and said, ‘OK, these are the players we are interested in!’
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“But I think there’s a bit more time for that now than there would have been if we still needed three points or a win or whatever. So there’s a bit more time now to have these conversations.”
With the Reds having also been linked with Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkez after his own impressive displays this term, Cherries manager Iraola admitted that he is keeping an open mind over the situation. He said: “I don’t think it’s any different from previous years, especially when the team has done a good job.
(Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
“It happened to us last season. We didn’t know what was going to happen with some players. We lost Lloyd Kelly and after that Dom Solanke. We don’t really know what is going to happen in the summer, we are still focused on other things.”
He continued: “But right now all the players are ours and, if nothing happens, they will continue to be ours next season also. So I don’t think it’s going to be different from other summers.
“We will focus on trying to improve the team, and add new players if we can, and if some player leaves because someone comes with what the club considers to be a good offer, we have to be ready for those situations, but not with fear.
“It is something that all the clubs, especially the ones who are not at the highest level like the top, top teams, have to get used to.”
