'Was not possible': £33m player admits he had talks with Liverpool over the summer but they did not go to plan

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When Liverpool turned to Feyenoord Rotterdam to appoint Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor, it’s safe to say eyebrows were raised by fans and pundits alike.

Despite being a household name in the Eredivisie, the Dutchman was relatively unknown to the Premier League audience and arrived in England with the sizable task of replacing the Reds’ modern-day messiah.

However, Slot has taken Liverpool by storm since his arrival, winning 18 of his first 20 games in charge of the club.

He brought a handful of coaching staff with him from Feyenoord, with Sipke Hulshoff and Ruben Peeters currently part of his backroom team at Liverpool.

But it now appears as if one of Slot’s former players could have reunited with him at Anfield if things went as planned.

David Hancko makes brutally honest Liverpool confession

The Dutchman won one Eredivisie title with Feyenoord and played an attractive brand of football that eventually got him the job at Liverpool.

Even before Slot’s arrival at the club, David Hancko was linked with a move to Liverpool as Klopp aimed to shore up his backline at the start of the year.

And now, the Slovakian defender has confessed that he had a conversation with Slot about a summer transfer, although a move never materialised.

“I was in contact with Slot but he immediately told me that it was not possible,” said Hancko to Voetbal International.

“Liverpool have a certain transfer philosophy. Age was one issue, the other was price. Both factors were negative for me."

Atletico Madrid were also interested in signing the versatile defender in the summer, who is valued at around £33m.

Hancko and Slot worked together for two seasons at Feyenoord as they won the Eredivisie in 2023 and the KNVB Cup a year later.

Liverpool likely to sign a defender in 2025

The Reds have two players per position at the back currently but could decide to refresh their options in this area of the pitch in 2025.

Ibrahima Konate was the last permanent defensive signing Liverpool made and that was in the summer of 2021.

Milos Kerkez has been linked with a move to Anfield and the Hungarian could be one worth watching, given Richard Hughes has close ties with his agents after signing him for Bournemouth.