Revealed: The Declan Rice-like midfielder Arne Slot would LOVE at Liverpool | OneFootball

It’s no secret that Liverpool missed out on their No.1 midfield target during the summer transfer window.

There was confirmed interest in Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, who opted to stay put with his boyhood club instead of moving to Anfield.

New Reds coach Arne Slot went into the season with pretty much the same midfield options that his predecessor Jurgen Klopp had available to him, although the ranks were bolstered by the return from loan of Tyler Morton.

© IMAGO

Liverpool January midfield links

Slot quickly set about assembling his preferred midfield shape from the parts available with Ryan Gravenberch grabbing the defensive midfield shirt and Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai filling the positions further forward.

Nonetheless owing to issues around fitness and form, Curtis Jones has gatecrashed that particular party and looks set to be a viable midfield option for the season ahead.

But the midfield transfer links haven’t gone away.

There have been reports that the Reds would look to do business for Zubimendi again in January but it’s going to be difficult to prise the €60m asset from Real Sociedad in the middle of the season.

And so links have been established with others, including a player Arne Slot will know very well in the shape of Tijjani Reijnders.

© IMAGO - Tijjani Reijnders Arne Slot Liverpool

Slot's strong Reijnders connection

First off the Liverpool head coach was actually a teammate of Tijjani’s father Martin at PEC Zwolle back in the 1990s.

Not only that but Reijnders played for Slot during his AZ days, appearing seven times in Eredivisie matches before the coach headed off to Feyenoord.

Since then both men’s careers have gone from strength to strength.

Slot became one of the best coaches in the Netherlands, winning the league, the KNVB Beker and reaching the Europa Conference League finals before being recruited by Liverpool to succeed Klopp.

Reijnders has established himself in the AC Milan midfield having joined the Serie A giants in 2023 and has become a regular member of the Dutch international midfield too.

© IMAGO - Tijjani Reijnders AC Milan

Proposed Reijnders - Chiesa swap deal

He was even associated with a move to Barcelona last summer but ultimately remained at San Siro.

He has scored three goals in 12 matches this season, moving across an array of midfield positions.

This week brought renewed transfer links with Milan Live reporting that Liverpool were proposing a swap deal with the Rossoneri involving Reijnders and transfer flop Federico Chiesa.

The Italy international has seen his career stall at Liverpool and looks like he could do with a January move to get back on track.

And should Liverpool be able to get a deal done, there is no doubt that Reijnders would boost the options available to the head coach.

"Tijjani Reijnders could definitely be valuable for this Liverpool team,” says Milan Keskin, the Dutch football expert at footballtransfers.com.

He’s a type of player that Arne Slot doesn’t yet have in his squad. In terms of playing style, I think he’s best compared to Declan Rice.

Milan Keskin, Dutch football expert

Reijnders ready for the next step

“He’s a type of player that Arne Slot doesn’t yet have in his squad. In terms of playing style, I think he’s best compared to Declan Rice at Arsenal.

“That makes him an excellent potential match with Ryan Gravenberch—two players who could complement each other well.

“The fact that Reijnders is performing so well at AC Milan isn’t really a surprise. He’s an outstanding player who also brings value to the Dutch national team.

“He’s ready for the next step in his career, though AC Milan is also a fantastic club for him. His father recently mentioned in an interview that Reijnders is very happy at AC Milan and isn’t planning to leave anytime soon.

“Liverpool would need to make a compelling case to persuade him.”

Reijnders is under contract with Milan until 2028 and so it would take a sizeable bid - even involving Chiesa - to dislodge him from his current employers.

However, the 26-year-old comes with a strong endorsement from those in the know and a pre-existing working relationship with the Liverpool head coach.