Liverpool MUST not let Chelsea take Van Dijk and Robertson successor

In amongst all the carnage of transfer links between players and the club, you will often find a gem that stands out above the rest. Once you have located them, you cannot let them go.

The workload on the Liverpool recruitment department's shoulders ahead of this summer is huge with plenty of departures and arrivals needing to be signed off to keep us competitive next season.

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All of the adjectives for 'big' have been thrown out in journalists' reports regarding our transfer plans, with the latest claim being that it'll be 'heavyweight' - suggesting that we will attempt to be ambitious.

But the money that is available for such a clear-out is still unknown. FSG have spent £12.5m over the last three transfer windows, and the last two seasons have seen us win an EFL Cup and the Premier League alongside qualifying for - and topping - the Champions League 'league phase'.

As such, fans should expect big things from this summer as Arne Slot will finally receive some financial backing from the club. But we still ought to be smart with our transfer moves.

Liverpool will not be reckless under Michael Edwards

The approach that Liverpool have been implementing for the last decade has been an extremely sensible one, which has led the club to further prosperity despite not splashing the cash.

Don't get me wrong, money has been spent, and a fair amount of it too, but in comparison to the Reds' direct competitors such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, we have a pretty high return on our investments.

Fundamentally, this is because smart decisions are made regarding transfers.

Each member of the famous front three - Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino - was bought for less than £40m and they were all below the age of 25 at the time of purchase. The club created superstars from talented players who were flying under the radar.

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Furthermore, the best way to guarantee that you will yield a successful return on investment is by signing players who can perform more than one role - Joe Gomez and James Milner are perfect examples.

Milner arrived on a free transfer, so the move was completely risk-free. But when the manager needed him to adapt his skillset for the team's benefit, he would bend over backwards to make sure everything went smoothly - be it fielding himself at left-back or right-wing from time to time.

Likewise, Gomez has been an extraordinary servant at the club across his stay on Merseyside, which crossed 10 years this season. He is comfortable playing as a centre-back or either full-back.

As mentioned earlier, any gem players identified in a scouting effort have to be taken advantage of and the latest situation where Jorrel Hato could join Chelsea is one Liverpool cannot afford to let happen.

Hato is the PERFECT Van Dijk and Robertson successor

The young Dutchman's profile is perfect for Liverpool's needs in every way.

He's just 19 years old, so he will have a long-future ahead of him. He plays as a left-back predominantly, so he can provide competition for Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas straight away. And he is capable of being fielded as a centre-back, so further depth is added to that department.

Reportedly, Ajax would be happy to offload him for £40m, so he is also a feasible recruit given the context of the other positions on Liverpool's summer shopping list.

Earlier this season, he was pictured at Anfield after being invited to watch a game by his former Ajax teammate Ryan Gravenberch, so he is already familiar with where he would be playing and who he might be playing alongside as well.

Which links in to the contingent of his fellow countrymen at Liverpool already, which includes Cody Gakpo, Virgil Van Dijk and Arne Slot alongside Gravenberch.

It was even reported just a few days ago that the Reds captain is 'a big fan' of the defender, so that defensive partnership could be fascinating to watch blossom if a move is acted upon.

The only complication is Chelsea's interest in him.

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According to Sky Sports News, the Blues are 'seriously considering' a move following his impressive performances this season.

However, if Liverpool want him badly enough, which they should, then the offer presented to Ajax should be one that they cannot say no to. Given the player's skillset, Liverpool might not be able to afford to let the Dutchman move to anyone else this summer.

As mentioned earlier, Gomez is now entering his 10th year on Merseyside. Have we seen him much this season? No. And why might that be? Because he is increasingly less favoured and unreliable.

His 886 minutes have come through rotation and having no one else available at times. A multi-faceted player like Hato however would be the perfect replacement as someone who can be a problem solver for Slot's team moving forward. An asset like that is invaluable.

At £40m, Liverpool should already have their chequebook out.