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liverpool Will not sign versatile Lutsharel Geertruida reported on Sunday that they An agreement is about to be reached The 25-year-old star, who can play at right-back, centre-back or midfield, is currently on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig, but there is a chance the Reds could bring him to Anfield.
Arne Slaughter There’s currently a shortage at right-back following injuries to Connor Bradley and Jeremy Frimpong, here’s why Gil Truida could have been a savvy addition to the team. That said, they are said to be on the verge of signing Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, which is certainly exciting.
He’s not the only promising young player they’re keeping an eye on, though.
Liverpool in talks to sign midfield star
While the Reds may look for alternatives Gil Truida has filled the void on the right side of the pitch on deadline day, with the reigning Premier League champions also likely to do business in another position.
As well as looking to sign a new right-back due to injuries to Bradley and Frimpong, Slott will also be looking to add another option to the engine room in the coming hours.
According to Reds reporter Dave OkopLiverpool have reportedly identified AZ midfielder Keith Smits as a possible addition ahead of tonight’s deadline.
Reports claim that the Reds have held talks with the player’s representatives to discuss a possible move to Anfield for the Dutchman.
The report adds that AZ are ready to cash in on the 20-year-old star amid interest from a number of clubs, but they do believe he is a talented player.
The Eredivisie side are expected to charge a fee of around £30m for the midfielder due to how highly they rate him, and it remains to be seen whether Liverpool are willing to pay that fee today or whether they will wait until the summer.
Why Liverpool should sign Keith Smits
The Reds should spend £30m on the Dutchman in the coming hours as he could be Slott’s version of Crystal Palace star Adam Walton.
Liverpool vs. Interest in the England international, who is worth £87mbut Alkmaar’s talent looks set to cost a fraction of the price.
Smit, U23 scout Antonio Mango claims to ‘penetrate class’Similar to Walton, he is also an excellent midfielder who is good at controlling the ball at his feet and is also very motivated when controlling the ball.
Scout indeed. Ben Mattinson describes him as “A strong player in the midfield” who “runs in the midfield and does everything with intensity”.
The Dutchman has scored 10 goals and provided 8 assists in all competitions in the 2024/25 season, and has contributed 2 goals and 2 assists in the Eredivisie this season, tying Walton’s number of assists in the Premier League.
|
25/26 league season |
Schmidt |
Wharton Business School |
|---|---|---|
|
Number of appearances |
18 |
twenty one |
|
Target |
2 |
0 |
|
shah |
3.40 |
4.64 |
|
Assist |
2 |
2 |
|
Long pass accuracy |
58% |
51% |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.0 |
0.5 |
As you can see in the table above, both players are creative midfielders and efficient long-ball players, which shows that they can make progress for their teams and beat their opponents on a regular basis.
On top of that, Smit averaged 3.6 wins per game in the Dutch top flight, while Walton averaged 4.8 wins per game in the Premier League, showing that the two can also mix it up and be physical in the midfield, even if their primary attribute is possession.
The good thing about Wharton is that he has already played in the Premier League for Crystal Palace and there is a degree of certainty about his performance in the Premier League for Liverpool because he has already proven himself in the league.
Smit has yet to play outside of the Netherlands, though, and it’s difficult to say how he will adapt to the Premier League as he has no previous experience of playing in the Netherlands.
However, taking that risk is why Liverpool will only have to pay £30m for him instead of £87m, and if he brings his performances to English football they can bargain with their own, cheaper Wharton.
