Arne Slot would have been pleased when FSG led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season after Jurgen Klopp packed up and left.
Who can say that Dutch coaches need a wide range of signatures? He bagged gold last year without real investment. But now the tactical mastermind is rewarded beautifully.
Various impactful signatures have already been made as Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are bolstering the forefront. Milos Kerkez and Jeremy Fripon have refreshed their fullback ranks. Giorgi Mamardashvili joins Alison Becker between the sticks.
Liverpool’s next forwarding target
The addition of attacks usually attracts the greatest praise. However, Liverpool also needs a centre-back, which became clear after a vested interest in Dean Huyssen was revealed.
However, Huijsen joined Trent Alexander-Arnold and signed Real Madrid in a £50 million deal. So, Liverpool’s sports director Richard Hughes turned his attention to Mark Guech, but Crystal Palace defenders are also featured on the Tottenham Hotspur radar, with the Londoners measuring official bids now.
If Liverpool doesn’t sign the Three Lions star, they seem to have identified Ajax’s sense of Yorel Hat as a man to complete the slot’s backline, with Transfer Insider Ben Jacobs apparently confirming that the teenagers are on the list of nominees.
The pigeons are also in Chelsea’s field of vision, and at this stage it is the blues who lead the race. However, Liverpool can steal first, with a coordinated effort and cleverly floating £40 million price tag.
Why Liverpool should sign Yorel Hat?
With the uncertainty of Ibrahima Conate’s future, Real Madrid lurking, and the Frenchman is only a year away from free agency, bringing centre-backs feels like an urgent matter this summer.
In particular, Jarrell Kuanza set out for Bayer Leverkusen on a £35 million package last month.
Though Hato may be just 19 years old, he has already appeared as one of the main players of the Ajax, playing 111 senior matches for the Dutch Giants and earning six caps for the Dutch national team.
His rapid growth into stardom – pigeons have been praised as “one of the best young talents in football” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and versatility suggests he could become Liverpool’s next version of Cody Gakpoe.
Jorrel Hato – Career Ajax Statistics by Position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
position | App | the goal | assist |
Left back | 88 | 4 | 8 |
Center back | 70 | 3 | 3 |
Central midfield | 1 | – | – |
Left midfield | 1 | – | – |
Statistics through the Transfer Market | |||
The 25-year-old Gakpo signed Liverpool for £35 million from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, and has since become one of the Reds’ staples to win the trophy, claiming to have “leveled” in the slot system last season.
Last season he scored 18 goals, fed seven assists to the Premier League champions, and matured in a static role from the attacking left flank.
The pigeon is able to emulate his fellow countrymen and, with his dynamic positional nature, can be seen shuffling him before he grows into his skin in the UK and establishes himself as one of the leading centre herbs of the Premier League.
The defensive phenom may not have played much in his natural central role throughout the 2024/25 season, but he still ranks in the top 1% of positional peers for pass completion, with the top 12% of air delirie per 90 persons showing his traits suitable for the position, as per FBREF.
The pigeon is an unrefined gem, but he is all the same gem. And Slot has demonstrated his ability to lift his fellow people, Gakupo and Ryan Gravenburch, into the upper territory of the European stars, for the past 12 months.
With Hato, he can repeat the tricks and draws players into starring roles over the next few years.
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