The legendary Marco van Basten has implored Ajax to snap up reported Liverpool target Teun Koopmeiners from Eredivisie rivals AZ Alkmaar, speaking to Ziggo Sport, via VoetbalZone.
In truth, the 2020/21 campaign feels like something of a missed opportunity for AZ.
After being denied only a third league title by the pandemic last season, The Cheeseheads pulled off a minor miracle by keeping a talented young crop of players together over the summer.
Clearly, the likes of Myron Boadu, Calvin Stengs and Koopmeiners thought AZ could make up for the heart-wrenching frustration of last year and bounce back in style, going one better this time.
However, things haven’t gone to plan. A 2-0 defeat to Ajax at the weekend leaves AZ a distant third, 16 points off the top.
And with Calciomercato reporting Liverpool are one of many major European clubs taking a keen interest in Koopmeiners, AZ may be powerless to prevent the departure of their £15 million-rated captain this summer.
Van Basten, meanwhile, would love to see the soon-to-be Eredivisie champions raid their title rivals for arguably the league’s most influential midfielder.
“If Ajax had to get two players from AZ, I would take Koopmeiners and (left-back Owen) Wijndal. Wijndal is a good player and Koopmeiners is a great gentleman, a good captain,” says Van Basten, the AC Milan and Holland great.
“I still have to see if he can keep up with Ajax while playing football but he can compensate for that with his personality.”
A few weeks ago, AS reported Koopmeiners, a deep-lying midfielder with a wonderful passing range and a remarkable penalty-kick record, was ready to take the next step up in the summer transfer window.
And there will be a Gini Wijnaldum-shaped void in Liverpool’s midfield Klopp will need to fill.
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