Dalglish confirmed in "Next Van Basten" chase

Sport.co.uk can confirm that FC Utrecht striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel is a summer transfer target for Newcastle United and Liverpool according to player's representative. While Tottenham Hotspur are also rumoured to be monitoring the Dutch starlet.

Van Wolfswinkel, 22, has just returned from injury regaining his place in the first team, and the Dutchman looks set for a summer transfer tug of war with Alan Pardew, Kenny Dalglish and Harry Redknapp all considering summer moves for the forward.

The player's agent confirmed to Sport.co.uk that Liverpool and Newcastle United were looking at the player, while Tottenham Hotspur are also believed to be keeping an eye on proceedings.

"There is nothing in place yet regarding a transfer for Ricky (Van Wolfswinkel). At this moment there is no update. He has returned to action and has scored a couple of times, and is coming back well from injury." Louis Laros told Sport.co.uk.

"We are still working towards a move this summer but I have nothing finalised yet.

The player's representative revealed he was informed that Newcastle Untied and Liverpool would continue to monitor the player until the end of the season. He said: 

"I have not spoken to either club in the past three weeks. In the winter break both clubs told me they would follow him and keep an eye on him. In the next coming months we will see, so I will wait for contact.

"If there was the possibility of the Premier League Ricky would love it. But obviously we must respect the club and what they want to do in the summer. Ricky is still young and he wants to better himself, so if a club offers him a deal he will look at it. But it depends on the club, the manager, and the ambitions of the club."

Van Wolfswinkel, a regular starter for the Dutch under-21s was recently capped at full international level and is regarded as one of Europe's hottest young talents having been closely watched by the continent's top clubs since making his debut for Vitesse Arnhem in 2008.

The hitman has since moved to FC Utrecht where he has established himself as the club's leading front-man and helped them to a seventh place Eredivisie finish. The striker has scored 17 goals in his last 24 appearances in all competitions. 

Liverpool's new Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli highlighted the Dutchman as a great prospect for the future, while Newcastle United have also been confirmed as monitoring the striker since Chris Hughton was manager.

Current Newcastle United incumbent Pardew has a transfer chest of £35 million from Andy Carroll's January move to Liverpool and the FC Utrecht striker, nicknamed, "the next Van Basten" is a possible replacement for the English centre-forward.

Spurs boss Redknapp is a big admirer of the forward having sent regular scouts to watch van Wolfswinkel but looks to be playing second fiddle in the pursuit of the forward with the reds and Toon army leading the chase for the talented Dutch starlet.

Source: Sport.co.uk

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