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Khalid Boulahrouz reckons Liverpool ought to pursue Micky van de Ven, describing the Dutchman as the "ideal successor" to Reds skipper Virgil van Dijk.
The 24-year-old made the switch to Tottenham Hotspur in a deal potentially worth $58 million (£43 million) from VfL Wolfsburg during the summer of 2023. Nevertheless, he had also been consistently linked with a switch to Anfield at that time, having previously been recruited by then-Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke for the German club initially.
The center-half has caught the eye for Spurs this campaign under Thomas Frank, recovering impressively following an injury-hit season last time out.
Netting six goals across 16 outings, the Dutchman has also contributed to his team securing seven clean sheets thus far this term.
With Van Dijk advancing in years, former Chelsea defender Boulahrouz maintains that Van de Ven would represent the perfect long-term solution for the 34-year-old at both club and international level.
"I think he's the ideal successor to Virgil van Dijk, both in the Dutch national team and at Liverpool," the former Netherlands international told ESPN NL.
"And Liverpool isn't crazy: if you're looking for a world-class left center-back and you have the money, you'll quickly end up with Van de Ven.
"The same goes for the Dutch national team. I think Ronald Koeman has long since realized that Van Dijk's successor is already out there.
"He's (Van de Ven) really outperforming them. He's physically strong and incredibly quick. Opponents know that, so they don't even try to get past him anymore. He could still do better on the ball; he makes the occasional blunder. But overall, I think he's fantastic."
Van Dijk penned a fresh two-year deal with Liverpool back in April before leading the Reds to Premier League glory, though he has faced scrutiny this campaign as Arne Slot's team continues to falter.
However, Boulahrouz has backed his fellow countryman, maintaining that he remains world-class. Yet he acknowledges that following numerous seasons at the pinnacle with Liverpool, Van Dijk could be approaching a period where he begins to decline.
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"Virgil is still undisputed in the Dutch national team," he said. "Even though Liverpool hasn't been performing quite as well lately. Diogo Jota's passing has had a huge impact on the squad.
"In addition, many new players have joined. That has an impact, and you can see that with Van Dijk. But despite that, he remains a world-class player.
"The question, of course, is what Virgil will do after the World Cup. Playing in the Premier League for years has taken its toll. You might long for a bit of a break."
Liverpool.com says: Van de Ven is a really good player, but he isn't anywhere near the same level as Van Dijk. Replacing its captain will be near-impossible for Liverpool, but it will have to make a plan soon.
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