Liverpool were told to sign 'wonderful' Man Utd midfielder a month ago and now is the time to strike

Liverpool were urged to sign Donny van de Beek by Ajax legend Sjaak Swart a month ago and now is the time to strike.

No player has moved between the two clubs since 1964 since Phil Chisnall joined Liverpool from Manchester United and that seems unlikely to change.

But can you imagine the uproar if the Reds poached Donny van de Beek to replace Georginio Wijnaldum? One Dutchman for another.

Swart urged Liverpool to make a move

Wijnaldum is officially no longer a Liverpool player after his contract expired on Wednesday at midnight as his PSG terms came into effect.

Speaking to Veronica Inside, as quoted by Soccernews.nl, Ajax legend Sjaak Swart had this to say about van de Beek: “He played really great at Ajax, until he left. He was ready for abroad. But at United, they have 8 or 9 midfielders, and you have to intervene, then it takes time.

“That is a choice [about his future] he has to make himself, whether he feels like he needs to leave. I am not worried about him.

"He would fit in like that at other clubs. If I look at Liverpool and Wijnaldum is leaving now, he will be a wonderful replacement. Or Thomas Müller, at Bayern Munich."

Signing van de Beek is unlikely but not impossible

Despite joining Manchester United for £35m (€40.7m), the 24-year-old made just four starts in the Premier League and is in a tricky position.

While no player has moved between Liverpool and United for almost six decades, it's bound to happen eventually and van de Beek would suit the Reds very well.

In his best season with Ajax, he got 17 goals and 13 assists which is an attacking return that only Philippe Coutinho was ever able to come close to for Liverpool from midfield in recent years.

He was a part of that Ajax side that reached the semis of the Champions League in 2018/19, playing liquid football before Spurs' Lucas Moura scored a superb hat-trick to send the London side to the Champions League final where they were soundly beaten by Liverpool.

If not van de Beek, then who?

Liverpool are unlikely to sign van de Beek even if Sjaak Swart is of the belief he'd be a great fit for the Reds and while there is no rush, Jurgen Klopp and Michael Edwards will be keen to get their summer business done as soon as possible.

Of course, the window only closes on August 31st which gives them almost two months to get their affairs in order but with pre-season starting on the 12th of July and the Premier League campaign getting underway on the 14th of August, the sooner all incomings are completed the better.

Saul, Yves Bissouma, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans. Florian Neuhaus and Renato Sanches have all been linked with the Merseyside outfit.