‘Easily…’ – ESPN pundit insists ‘top’ Liverpool-linked powerhouse would thrive at Anfield
One Liverpool-linked defender has been backed to thrive at Anfield if the Reds were to sign him this summer.
LFC have reportedly contacted Feyenoord about David Hancko (Mundo Deportivo, via Sport Witness), with the 26-year-old excelling in Slovakia’s shock win over Belgium at Euro 2024 on Monday.
Speaking on ESPN after that game, ex-Netherlands international Tim de Cler gave his backing to the Slovakian to ‘easily handle’ a move to Merseyside, should it materialise.
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The 45-year-old said of Hancko (via Soccernews.nl): “He is so stable and can actually do anything. I just think he is a top defender all-round. If he makes it to the next round, and that chance is quite high, his market value will also increase again. More and more clubs are becoming interested, and they were already there.
“I think he can easily handle a club just below the top six in Europe. Then I’m talking about a club like Atlético Madrid or Liverpool. He can certainly handle that.”
It’s no wonder De Cler was raving about Hancko after yesterday’s match, with the defender having made a heroic goalline clearance to help his team secure victory, along with winning three duels and two tackles and executing one key pass (Sofascore).
It’s not as if that performance in Frankfurt was a one-off from the 26-year-old, either. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 1% of positional peers from outside Europe’s top five leagues for a series of ball-playing metrics in 2023/24, including progressive passes and carries and successful take-ons per 90 minutes.
The Feyenoord man sampled Champions League football with his club last season as well, so he’s had a taster of playing at the highest level on the continent, and it’s something that Liverpool can offer this summer after their third-place finish in the Premier League.
He’s also coming to the fore for his country at Euro 2024, so Hancko is proving that he can perform on the big stage, which lends weight to De Cler’s asserion that the Slovakian would ‘easily handle’ a move to one of Europe’s most esteemed clubs in LFC.
What won’t come quite as easily is his arrival at Anfield, as it’ll surely take a convincing sales pitch from the Reds to persuade the Rotterdam outfit to part with such an important asset, but it’s well worth an attempt from Richard Hughes this summer.
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