- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Liverpool are admirers of Arne Slot’s Feyenoord duo Quinten Timber and Mats Wieffer with Premier League rivals Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Aston Villa also admirers of the latter.
Two years after Erik ten Hag took over at Manchester United and brought Lisandro Martinez and Antony with him over from Ajax, HITC understands that Arne Slot could do something similar if – as expected – he replaces Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dugout.
We have already reported that Liverpool hold an interest in the £25 million-rated Feyenoord defender David Hancko, one of many left-footed centre-halves on the Reds’ radar. Hancko, a self-professed ‘Liverpool fan’, had those links confirmed by his agent a few months ago too.
Hancko, however, is far from the only Feyenoord player Liverpool like. We have been told that midfield duo Quinten Timber and Mats Wieffer – both of whom played a major part in the Rotterdammers’ 2023 title-winning campaign – have also been lined up to potentially follow Slot to Merseyside.
Liverpool like three of Arne Slot’s Feyenoord stars
Wieffer, interestingly, is a player Liverpool have been following long before they had held talks with his 45-year-old manager. The towering Netherlands international has been watched for the last 12 months, and the appointment of Slot could potentially give Liverpool an advantage over fellow suitors Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Tottenham.
The Magpies and Spurs are also pursuing Timber, the more attack-minded of Feyenoord’s midfield duo. Timber is at his most effective when embarking upon one of those bursting runs into the penalty area, driving through bodies and carrying the ball forward from deep. The twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien has seven goals this season, more than double his tally from 2023/24.
Mats Wieffer is a long-time target
24-year-old Wieffer, while a fine ball-striker of his own, is more defensively-minded by trade. The former Excelsior enforcer averages 2.9 successful tackles per game, the third-best of any Eredivisie midfielder (WhoScored).
Wieffer, reportedly valued at around £22 million (Sport), could free up Alexis Mac Allister to push on and pull the strings in the final third if he becomes one of the first signings of the Slot era.
His current – and potentially future – boss believes it is not out of the realms of possibility that Wieffer could become one of the planet’s finest footballers if he continues the progress he has made since moving to Feyenoord in 2022.
“Mats Wieffer has made a mega leap in terms of development. I can really enjoy that,” Slot told Voetbal International recently. “So big that, if he does that again, he will become the best player in the world.
“That is of course unrealistic, for any footballer. But Mats can get even better.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
