With Jörg Schmadtke on the verge of becoming Liverpool’s new sporting director, the Reds are being linked with a transfer that has his DNA all over it.
Jörg Schmadtke hasn’t yet been appointed as Liverpool’s new sporting director, but the Reds are already being linked with players emanating from the Bundesliga. The German has operated in his homeland throughout his career in football, which is why he’s deemed to be an expert in that particular region of the globe.
Indeed, the player who is being tipped for a switch is currently representing his former employers, VfL Wolfsburg. Schmadtke served at the Volkswagen Arena for around five years from 2018 to 2023, and he was the man to sign a certain Micky van de Ven back in the summer of 2021.
With Liverpool interested in acquiring the services of a new center-back in the coming months, the link — per i — appears to make sense, especially when inspecting what he offers on the pitch. Van de Ven has the natural perks required to perform for a Jürgen Klopp team, and he’s got one specific quality that none of the central defenders at Anfield have right now.
READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister ‘done’, Mason Mount chances good – Dream Liverpool team with four transfers
READ MORE: Newcastle just hit Liverpool problem as Jürgen Klopp knows he can reclaim Champions League spot
Just 22 years old, the Dutchman has plenty of time on side to continue evolving. He is still a raw prospect, but he’s got natural strengths when it comes to his physical qualities, as he stands around 1.93m tall but he’s also remarkably fast despite his imposing stature.
In fact, Van de Ven achieved a top speed of 35.87 km/h this season. For perspective, that would make him the second-quickest player at Anfield behind only Darwin Núñez, ahead of speedsters such as Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Luis Díaz and Diogo Jota to name but a few.
Those perks are essential for players who are deployed in the heart of Klopp’s defense, simply due to Liverpool’s tendency to enforce a high defensive line. Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joël Matip are either fast, tall or both, and it is worth noting that the latter has a contract which is due to expire in 2024.
