Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk believes the club have been scouting his international teammate Matthijs de Ligt, who has been linked with several Premier League clubs in recent months.
The 19-year-old Ajax star is one of the most sought-after youngster in Europe at the moment, with reports suggesting that a £50million+ move to the Premier League could be on the cards.
Liverpool have not really been among the clubs linked with the Netherlands international, but van Dijk has now revealed that the Reds are sure to be among those scouting the 6’2″ top-flight enforcer [Transfermarkt].
Speaking to De Telegraaf, he said: “He will be on the list, because they have enough scouts at the club.”
When asked if he had given his club any information about his international teammate, van Dijk said: “No, but if they need my opinion at Liverpool, I’ll give it.”
OPINION
Van Dijk is probably right in saying that Liverpool will have been keeping tabs on de Ligt, with most top clubs in Europe likely to have been scouting the 19-year-old. Ever since he broke into the first-team at his boyhood club Ajax, de Ligt has been earmarked as a future world-class defender. The fact that he has already made 11 appearances for the Netherlands shows just how good he is, and van Dijk has obviously been left impressed as well. The prospect of Liverpool signing de Ligt and playing him alongside van Dijk in defence is obviously an exciting one, but unfortunately one that is unlikely as well. The Reds are well-stocked in defence at the moment, and in van Dijk and Joe Gomez they have a partnership who could stay in place for many years. Spending £50million or more on another defender seems counterproductive at the moment, with that money better spent elsewhere.
