Liverpool eyeing Atalanta star Teun Koopmeiners to strengthen the defensive midfield, addressing their depth issues
Liverpool are targeting Atalanta defensive midfielder Teun Koopmeiners to address the lack of a natural number six in their midfield. Their senior team have Wataru Endo as a natural defensive midfielder and he is currently unavailable due to international duties.
The Reds have played Alexis Mac Allister as the deepest midfielder, and he has delivered sensational performances. However, the deep midfield role is not his preferred choice as he prefers a number eight or number 10 role.
Furthermore, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has gradually shifted right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold a number six in many games. Trent has evolved and performed incredibly as a deep-lying playmaker in midfield, creating numerous attacks for the Reds.
Italian publication Tutto Atalanta (h/t Mirror) reported that Koopmeiners is a prime target of Liverpool to bolster the defensive midfield. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a successful first half of the season with the Serie A side Atalanta.
Koopmeiners has made 26 appearances in all competitions for Atalanta, contributing with seven goals and four assists. He can play as a central midfielder and be adventurous apart from his natural defensive midfield role.
Nevertheless, the Dutch international’s main focus is his defensive duties whenever he plays a deep role. This season, surprisingly, he played more in an attacking role and even featured as a right winger. This shows the immense versatility that Koopmeiners possesses and the jobs he is willing to take for his team.
Deployed mostly as a defensive midfielder, the 25-year-old possesses a dominant left foot, showcasing versatility in past seasons. On occasions, he has played at the left of the midfield three, working mostly on the left side.
Teun Koopmeiners: “I saw the links and stories about Liverpool — nice to see that but I’m 100% focused on Atalanta, I’m so happy to play here”. #LFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 9, 2023
Atalanta have received no approach or bid from Liverpool for Koopmeiners as of now. pic.twitter.com/jpgnSPSoFD
Standing at 1.83 meters, he is capable of challenging anyone in both aerial and ground duels. He has a tenacious mindset and an eye for making good tackles and interceptions and recovering possession for his team. The 25-year-old prefers to bring the ball forward with his dribbling and use his strong ball distributions to develop attacks.
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Koopmeiners could be a good addition to the squad if the price tag is justifiable and not inflated. However, whether the Reds opt to sign a right-back and shift Trent permanently to the centre or sign a new defensive midfielder is still up for debate.
