Speaking recently on the Ask Ornstein YouTube show, David Ornstein discussed Liverpool’s reported interest in LOSC Lille centre-back, Sven Botman.
With all three of Liverpool’s senior centre-backs – Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip – currently being sidelined due to injury, Jurgen Klopp has been left with only 19-year-old Rhys Williams, 23-year-old Nathaniel Phillips and 19-year-old Sepp van den Berg as natural centre-backs available for selection in his first-team squad.
As a result of this injury crisis, much has been discussed about potential targets Liverpool could look to bring in in the January transfer window in order to add some depth to the position, with one name being mentioned as £22.5 million-rated Lille centre-back, Sven Botman.
However, speaking on a recent episode of the Ask Ornstein YouTube show, Ornstein claimed that the Reds have no interest in making a move for the 20-year-old in the current market, or in the summer.
He said: “Sven Botman has made such a positive impression since joining Lille from Ajax. He’s still only 20 years old, but he’s already attracting admiration from some of Europe’s leading clubs.
“Liverpool have one of the best recruitment operations in world football, so I’m sure they’ll be across it, but we’re told that they don’t have any specific interest at this moment in time and they’re not working on Botman for the summer, either. Now, things can change, so there’s no point us giving too definitive an answer either way.”
Would Botman be a good signing for Liverpool?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts on David Ornstein’s comments regarding Liverpool’s interest in Sven Botman…
As Ornstein mentions, Botman has highly impressed since joining Lille from the Ajax in what was a £7.2 million deal last summer, as, over his 18 Ligue 1 appearances for the club, he has made an average of 1.2 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 2.9 clearances and 68.2 passes per game, culminating in an average WhoScored match rating of 7.08 – ranking him as the club’s fourth-best player in the French top flight.
However, according to the journalist, if the Reds are to bring in a centre-back this month, it does not look likely to be Botman.