Liverpool put off by lofty valuation for Juventus defender Dean Huijsen

Liverpool don't tend to spend crazy money unless they're confident about a player. Take Leny Yoro, who just last week joined Manchester United for £52 million, after the Reds decided to pull out of the race because of the fees being quoted.

And yet, central defence is one area Liverpool remain keen to strengthen this summer. Joel Matip has left the club, Ibrahima Konate had injury issues last campaign, and players like Nathaniel Phillips, Rhys Williams and Sepp van den Berg’s future is up in the air, showing the need for more strength in depth.

However, finding solutions that offer value for money may prove to be tricky. According to Tuttosport, the Yoro situation could be about to repeat itself.

The Italian publication reports that the Reds are interested in highly-rated 19-year-old Dean Huijsen. However, they're yet to make a move because they're put off by his current valuation.

A lofty valuation for Huijsen

Juventus are currently asking for €30 million (£25 million) for Huijsen, who spent 2023/24 on loan at Roma and has just 14 Serie A appearances to his name.

In today’s market, and for a player so young, that amount is hardly surprising, and it would help Juventus with their own transfer ambitions as the Old Lady aim to build on a third-place league finish this coming season.

That said, any team willing to spend big on a largely unproven defender - who is yet to play senior international football - must be sure they are getting the right man. At the moment, it seems top clubs are unwilling to match Juve’s high demands.

Premier League club Newcastle United are among the other sides interested in the youngster, with German teams Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Paris Saint-Germain also on the list quoted by the report.

SALES COULD TRIGGER HUIJSEN MOVE

If Liverpool are serious about Huijsen, they may look to raise funds through sales first. Someone who could trigger a move is Van den Berg, who has previously spoken about wanting regular football and being a spare part at Anfield. He has been heavily linked with PSV.

Still, unless Liverpool are convinced by Huijsen’s ability, spending handsomely on the Amsterdam-born defender who represents Spain at youth level would be a gamble, especially if they want him to hit the ground running.