Liverpool may have already sealed a deal for Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, but Tim Sherwood believes that won’t necessarily stop the Reds from making a move for Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven this summer.
Liverpool’s deadline day business was quiet, although they did manage to reach an agreement with Rennes for 20-year-old centre-back Jacquet. The deal is worth around £60 million, and it has been confirmed that the French youngster will remain with Rennes for the rest of the season before officially joining Liverpool next summer. The Reds reportedly beat off competition from Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal to secure his signature.
Despite that signing, Liverpool have continued to be linked with strengthening their defence. They were also connected with Lutsharel Geertruida in the weeks leading up to the deadline, but no deal was completed. Van de Ven has also been mentioned as a possible target, and Sherwood feels Liverpool’s interest could still be very real.
Speaking to CasinoStugan, Sherwood said the key factor for Van de Ven is proving his fitness between now and the end of the season. He described the Dutch defender as a “hierarchy player” — someone who is an automatic starter whenever he is available — and claimed Tottenham don’t have many players of that calibre.
Sherwood also suggested that if Van de Ven stays fit, Spurs could face major competition to keep him, with Liverpool and Manchester United among the clubs who could be tempted. He warned that Tottenham may struggle if the player decides he wants to leave, explaining that clubs often end up losing both the player and the transfer fee if they refuse to sell.
However, Sherwood added that Spurs still have a chance of keeping Van de Ven, depending on how the club is run in the summer and whether the defender believes Tottenham have a bright future. With Spurs currently sitting 14th in the Premier League and already out of the domestic cups, Sherwood questioned whether the club’s current situation will be enough to convince a top player to stay — even if they are still in the Champions League.