Liverpool may have FOUND their goalscoring midfielder - but he’d cost £51m

Liverpool may have found the goalscoring midfielder they’ve lacked for years. He won’t exactly come cheap, however.

Reports linking Liverpool to Teun Koopmeiners refuse to go away. The 26-year-old was first linked to them years ago, in fact - before he joined Atalanta from AZ Alkmaar.

But those links have intensified ahead of this summer. Sport Mediaset are the latest to report on it - they name-drop Liverpool and Juventus as wanting Koopmeiners.

Though, it’s also an easy link to make. Koopmeiners has publicly stated that he wants to leave Atalanta this summer, for one.

“I told Atalanta I want to leave in the summer,” Koopmeiners told De Telegraaf in March.

“Last season, there was concrete interest from Napoli, but the two clubs didn’t reach an agreement. I hope there will be options to consider this year. My girlfriend and I are enjoying Italy, but I would endure rain for some clubs in England!"

There’s now also the fact that Koopmeiners played under Arne Slot at AZ. However, it should be stated that links to the Dutchman came long before Slot was even rumoured to be Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

It may well be that the stars have aligned for Liverpool to sign their goalscoring midfielder.

Liverpool and Teun Koopmeiners

Liverpool haven’t had a consistent goalscorer from midfield in quite some time. In fact, depending on what you call Philippe Coutinho, you have to go back to Steven Gerrard.

Koopmeiners certainly offers goals, though. He’s had 22 in Serie A across last season and the current campaign so far - 18 if you discount penalties.

That kind of output could make a significant difference to Liverpool. Of course, there are hopes that the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott become more consistent with their scoring, but Koopmeiners could deliver it from the off.

Throw in the fact that Slot knows how to get him scoring (eight non-penalty goals in their season together) and it’s a transfer that makes a lot of sense for Liverpool.