Liverpool Shift Gaze as Huijsen Chase Ends – Hato Now a Key Target

Huijsen Hopes Fade Fast for Reds

It is the nature of the modern transfer window that patience is fleeting. One minute, a club is courting a target with all the intensity of a long-term suitor. The next, that same player is deemed surplus to plans – or, more accurately in this case, unreachable. Dean Huijsen, for weeks a primary candidate to bolster Liverpool’s central defence, now appears set for the Bernabéu instead of the Kop.

“Liverpool already left the conversation more than 24 hours ago because they understood that the player was giving total priority to Real Madrid,” explained Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel. “Now it’s on them to close everything with a ‘here we go’ expected very soon.”

That quote is telling, not just for what it reveals about Liverpool’s transfer strategy but also for what it says about the character the club now values. A desire to play at Anfield must be unequivocal – anything less invites turbulence, especially in the long-term rebuild that lies ahead under Arne Slot.

Frimpong, Wirtz, and the Bigger Picture

This pivot away from Huijsen doesn’t exist in isolation. With just two games remaining in the season, Liverpool’s recruitment engine is already in full gear. Top of the list, according to multiple reports, are Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz. Of the two, Frimpong seems more attainable, with Bayern Munich appearing to hold the edge for Wirtz.

The club’s intentions are clear: reinforce both ends of the pitch with high-calibre youth. But at centre-back – a position that still carries echoes of injury crises past – urgency remains.

Jorrel Hato Emerges as Genuine Candidate

If one Dutch defender is Real Madrid-bound, another may soon be en route to Merseyside. Ajax’s Jorrel Hato, just 18, is now firmly on the radar. Romano again: “Jorrel Hato is for sure in the list of Liverpool and Chelsea. Both clubs appreciate the player and have been monitoring him.”

Negotiations with Ajax will not be simple. Hato is a prized asset, already captaining the side on occasion and hailed as a future Netherlands regular. But unlike Huijsen, there is no whisper of longing for Madrid. That matters to Liverpool – a club building with clarity, not compromise.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

There’s a realism in how Liverpool have acted here, and it’s refreshing. Fans will recall the Lavia saga with a mix of frustration and what-ifs. The fact that the club have swiftly disengaged from Huijsen, once his intentions became clear, suggests they’re learning from past indecision. That’s a positive sign heading into a window that needs to deliver.

Jorrel Hato feels like a very Liverpool-type signing – young, tactically intelligent, and with an immense ceiling. He’s versatile too, capable of playing left-back or centre-back, and that’s crucial given the evolving demands of the Premier League.

Frimpong would be a fascinating addition, the Dutchman’s speed and attacking output would bring something very different to the right side of defence – almost a mirror of Andy Robertson’s peak-era influence from the left.

Ultimately, it’s about attitude as much as ability. Liverpool want players desperate to wear the shirt, not those using Anfield as a stepping stone. In walking away from Huijsen and focusing on Hato, they may have found the right direction again.