Van Dijk may be joined by £36m Jurrien Timber as reporter drops Liverpool claim

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The girlfriend of Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is ‘looking for a house in Liverpool’ ahead of a potential summer move to the Premier League. 

So says Wilfried Genee; a Dutch football reporter and host of the Veronica Inside TV show in the Netherlands.  

After spending much of last summer being linked with an Erik ten Hag reunion at Manchester United, Timber is reportedly attracting admiring glances from a few miles down the road in England’s North West these days too.

Much has been made of Liverpool’s long-awaited midfield overhaul. With Joel Matip ageing and Joe Gomez a shadow of his former self, do not be surprised to see Jurgen Klopp prioritise a younger, quicker, more versatile centre-half too, via 90Min.  

Timber certainly ticks those boxes; a 21-year-old ball-playing centre-half equally comfortable at right-back.  

Could Man United target Jurrien Timber end up at Liverpool instead?

Timber still has his fair share of fans at Old Trafford. Raphael Varane’s injury issues, plus Harry Maguire’s enduring awkwardness, means few would be surprised to see United return for the £36 million-rated Dutch international during the off-season. 

Genee’s revelation, however, will only increase speculation suggesting that the two time-honoured rivals may be about to go head-to-head for another Dutch-based youngster, some six months after Klopp snatched Cody Gakpo from under Ten Hag’s nose. 

“It seems that his girlfriend is looking for a house in Liverpool,” Genee explains. “She is also busy with it, so she will probably leave soon.”

Of course, this is no guarantee that Timber will be a Liverpool player in 2023/24. The Ajax academy graduate may still be wearing a lighter shade of red. Manchester is only 30 miles away from Merseyside, after all; Old Trafford still very much on Timber’s doorstep.

If he was to join Liverpool instead, Timber could form a partnership with fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk. Klopp’s number four is a huge fan of a player who spent time in Feyenoord’s academy before joining Ajax nearly a decade ago. 

“I wasn’t nearly as far along (in my development) as he is now,” Van Dijk tells Voetbal International. “I have nothing but praise for him.  

“He is a great player and a true professional. He has so much potential. Hopefully he can develop further.”