Arne Slot may finally sign a player he tried to get his hands on at Feyenoord back in 2021.
The Dutchman has been making waves since stepping up at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp's successor for the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, with Liverpool currently siting top of the English top flight, six points clear of second-place Arsenal with a game in hand. And while the 46-year-old failed to do much in terms of business over the summer, it is reported that he is considering strengthening his squad in the January window.
That's because, according to the daily Bologna newspaper il Resto del Carlino, Liverpool has had an offer for 26-year-old Sam Beukema turned down. Since teaming up with the Serie A outfit last season, the centre-back has caught the eye of a number of clubs.
However, Slot has had his fellow countryman on his radar since he took the reins at Feyenoord four years ago, previously admitting that he wanted to take him to the Eredivisie giants. He previously said: "I wanted to sign him. He had had a very good season at Go Ahead Eagles and we were looking for a central defender."
Beukema enjoyed a stellar breakthrough season with the Go Ahead Eagles the same year that Slot teamed up with Feyenoord, but ultimately decided to join AZ Alkmaar. After spending two years with the Dutch side, Beukema made the move to Bologna in 2023 - a side with which he has continued to impress.
Speaking on his decision to snub Feyenoord and join AZ, Beukema told Inews: "I could tell straight away he [Slot] was a top coach. But I chose AZ Alkmaar instead not because of him, but because of the situation at the time. Feyenoord had a tough season before Slot came and Alkmaar were much more stable.
"I was captain at Go Ahead Eagles and I told him I expect my team-mates to go all in and it seemed some [Feyenoord] players back then didn’t give their all. I said ‘Mr Slot, I don’t know if I can play with these kinds of players, will this change?' He said ‘don’t worry about that’. I was more relaxed, he made it very clear what he was expecting from his team."
And while his focus is entirely set on Bologna at present, Beukema has also previously noted that he has aspirations of playing in the Premier League at some point - name-dropping Liverpool as a potential suitor. He said: "Right now I’m only thinking about Bologna.
"I also have ambitions and I hope one day I can play maybe in the Premier League or another big club. I used to support West Ham. I visited Upton Park once with my father. I was really impressed, because the atmosphere was similar to Feyenoord or Go Ahead Eagles.
"But, of course, there are so many amazing teams in England, so if another nice club like Liverpool came along I’m happy to go there one day." It is reported that Bologna aren't keen on letting their key players exit midway through the season, so a potential move for Beukema may be postponed until the summer.
However, it is said that Liverpool are still monitoring the centre-half, who has a reported market value of around £18.5million (22m Euro) at present according to Transfermarkt. Given that players like Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate have been suffering with fitness as of recent, and that Virgil van Dijk is out of contract in the summer, it comes as no surprise that the Reds are looking to strengthen the heart of their defence.