Who is Teun Koopmeiners? The Dutch creator linked with Liverpool

 

In their first game back following the World Cup break, Atalanta were held to a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Spezia. Destined for a shock loss, Atalanta scored twice late on to rescue a point as Rasmus Højlund and Mario Pasalic completed the comeback to avoid a fourth straight league defeat. A four-game winless run has ended Atalanta's slim chances of a title charge, and they now sit two points outside of the top-six. 

 

While La Dea flattered to deceive at the Alberto Picco, Teun Koopmeiners put in another impressive shift in the Atalanta midfield as he provided a late assist for Pasalic's equaliser. Koopmeiners may have only managed two assists in Serie A this season, but to criticise this low return is an unfair stick with which to beat him. The Dutchman can't be responsible for his teammates' profligacy, particularly with the midfielder ranking 10th for key passes (27) in Serie A this season. 

 

Of those 27, eight came in the aforementioned draw with Spezia; no player has made more in a Serie A match this season. Liverpool have since been linked with a move for Koopmeiners as they seek an overhaul in the middle of the park. It's clear the Reds need to rejuvenate their stagnating midfield. Given the fast-paced, high intensity style of football Jurgen Klopp implements, he can't rely on injury-prone pair Thiago and Naby Keita, nor experienced duo Jordan Henderson and James Milner, while Fabinho's form has dipped significantly in recent months. 

 

 

Liverpool had sought to add faces to the midfield, but were beaten to the signing of Aurelien Tchouameni by Real Madrid, while Los Blancos are also seriously considering a move for Reds target Jude Bellingham as they, too, improve their midfield options. Arthur joined on loan from Juventus in the summer, yet he has registered just 13 minutes of action for Klopp's side having been sidelined since October. 

 

The club did have a couple of problem positions to rectify in the summer, notably in attack due to the departure of Sadio Mane for Bayern Munich, and in the last 12 months, have brought in Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and, most recently, Cody Gakpo from Porto, Benfica and PSV, respectively, to ease the Senegal star's exit, yet attention must now turn to the midfield. While Atalanta will be reluctant to cash in on one of their star men this month, it's easy to see why Koopmeiners has emerged as a potential target for the Reds, be that for a January move or at the end of the season. 

 

The growing Dutch contingent at Anfield would certainly benefit from a player of Koopmeiners skill set. A capable creator, the versatility to the Netherlands international's game would be another benefit for Klopp and his Liverpool side. Indeed, he is able to play in any of the three central roles, be it as the deepest sitting midfielder or in the number 10 role should the opportunity arise. There is even the added ability that Koopmeiners can operate at centre-back, though his services are best served in the middle of the park. 

 

The 24-year-old is chipping in with a respectable 1.6 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per 90 in Serie A this season, and is being dribbled past just 0.6 times per 90. A modest tackle success rate of 70.6% shows that Koopmeiners is adept at denying opponents if needs must, yet is perhaps better suited at playing alongside a ball winner, rather than operating as the designated destroyer. 

 

It is worth noting, however, that Koopmeiners does operate in a midfield pairing alongside Marten de Roon in Atalanta's favoured three-man defensive setup, whereas for AZ Alkmaar, the former played on the left in the preferred 4-3-3, a system that Klopp uses frequently. In this role, he was far more adept at setting AZ on the frontfoot, as noted in that he averaged 5.2 accurate long balls per 90 in his final full season with the Dutch side, whereas in his two Serie A seasons, these have dropped to 3.6 in 2021/22 and again in 2022/23 to 2.6. 

 

There is a greater desire with Atalanta to get the ball to the wing-backs, who then cause damage in the final third, whereas with AZ, the aim was to maximise effective wingers Jesper Karlsson and Calvin Stengs. The Dutch side did have effective attacking full-backs at their disposal in 2020/21, notably left-back Owen Wijndal, but the system with AZ was similar to Liverpool's in the here and now. The full-backs - Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold - provide the width for the Reds and have the license to get forward from left and right-back, respectively, so a player with Koopmeiners vision would be able to help advance the play from midfield for Liverpool. 

 

The wingers in Klopp's system cut infield from their respective flanks, thus opening up space for Robertson and Alexander-Arnold to utilise and provide an additional outlet in the final third. With Koopmeiners able to pick out a teammate from distance with ease, the pair could thrive with a midfielder of the Dutchman's calibre spraying balls into the final third. 

 

He may not fit the same profile as Bellingham, but Koopmeiners would be an upgrade on Klopp's current options. Of course, Atalanta will demand a huge fee to sell Koopmeiners this month, yet there is a very good reason as to why Liverpool have been credited with an interest in the Netherlands international and if they can't get their man in January, then it would certainly make sense to return to Bergamo in the off-season in a bid to improve their midfield.

Who is Teun Koopmeiners? The Dutch creator linked with Liverpool