Liverpool shelve plans for Dutch ace as Bundesliga opportunity takes shape

Liverpool could end their interest in Teun Koopmeiners to pursue Joshua Kimmich

Liverpool could end their pursuit of Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners in favour of landing Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich this summer.

The Reds seek to bolster their midfield department after the appointment of new manager Arne Slot. They invested heavily to revamp the midfield after the departures of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner last summer. In came the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, as Jurgen Klopp refreshed his options.

The Merseyside giants are again looking to add to the engine room due to their lack of quality depth, though, and have been strongly linked with a move for Atalanta star Teun Koopmeiners for some time now. The Dutchman enjoyed a fantastic 2023/24 for Atalanta, where he won the Europa League and also helped them seal a Champions League spot. Injury ruled him out of Euro 2024 and his absence can be seen in the Netherlands’s toothless performances in the middle of the park.

At one point, Liverpool were leading the race for Koopmeiners’ signature, but with interest from Juventus in the 26-year-old growing, Tutto Juve reports that the Reds have shifted their focus to Kimmich.

Kimmich is currently away with Germany at Euro 2024 and played the full 90 minutes as Julian Nagelsmann’s side booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Denmark in the round of 16 on Saturday evening. However, the midfielder’s tournament has been dominated by speculation surrounding his future at Bayern Munich, where he has entered the final year of his contract.

The Bavarian side have no intention to extend Kimmich’s contract and are open to cashing him in this summer. The aforementioned report from Tutto Juve claims Liverpool have made the Germany international a ‘key player to balance their squad’. However, the Arne Slot-managed club could be in for fierce competition for the player, with the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City also interested in his signature.

Kimmich has enjoyed a trophy-laden nine-year spell with Bayern. Over the years, he has been a consistent performer for the club and has impressed with his leadership skills, commitment, winning mentality and versatility.

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The German can be utilised in midfield, right-back and out wide, which adds further value to his name. At the age of 29, Kimmich is operating at the peak of his powers and could make an immediate impact at Liverpool if a deal happens.

Koopmeiners is more of a player who thrives in the final third of the pitch, but with the Reds stacked with attackers, the idea to supposedly shift our focus to Kimmich makes sense as the Bayern skipper would not only enhance Slot’s first XI but also add value in the dressing room and improve the squad depth.