The Ajax midfielder is thought to be one of Europe’s most highly sought after players. Spurs and the Reds ought to fancy their chances in 2019.
Both Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool have reached the last 16 of the Champions League in exhilarating fashion.
Spurs overturned a woeful tally of one point from their first three games to sneak through at the expense of Inter Milan following a last-ditch 1-1 draw at Barcelona.
The Reds, meanwhile, held off the mighty Napoli at Anfield thanks to Mohamed Salah’s solitary goal and a clean sheet in a gritty 1-0 win.
Tuesday night proved exhilarating for the two Premier League sides, while Italy’s Serie A had two sets of fans feeling absolutely dejected come the respective final whistles.
Progress to the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition has historically acted as a boost when it comes to the January transfer window, as successful teams have more clout.
In the upcoming transfer window, few players will be more sought after than Ajax and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
The 21-year-old’s father, John de Jong, has admitted to Dutch outlet Voetbal Primeur that the playmaker is “95% certain” to leave the Eredivisie club.
Admittedly, he said Barcelona “would be best” in terms of climate but left the door open for another club by saying “the financial climate remains to be seen”.
Tottenham and Liverpool have both been linked with De Jong in the past, the former by The Mirror and the latter by Spanish outlet AS.
Given that both sides will stand to earn more, both in terms of finance and prestige, with a place in the Champions League last 16, the possibility of pulling off a coup ahead of Barca is not an impossibility.
And with De Jong Sr saying “a team that actually plays football would suit him best”, something both Spurs and Liverpool do with panache, it can only fuel the speculation further.
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