By his own admission, the £25 million title-winning talent on the radar of the Premier League giants has been ‘a Liverpool fan’ since 2005.
If that iconic Champions League final comeback victory over AC Milan captured his imagination, then the sight of his compatriot arriving at Anfield a few years later only confirmed his love for the team on the red half of Merseyside.
“I probably watch the English Premier League the most, so (moving there) would be my dream,” David Hancko recently told Slovakian publication Aktuality Sport. “And the club? My role model has always been (Manchester United legend) David Beckham, but I was most drawn to Liverpool.
“It started with the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, which my parents let me watch until the end. I didn’t have to go to bed even though there was extra time! And then (Slovakian icon) Martin Skrtel came.
“Since then, I’ve been a Liverpool fan.”
Hancko, HITC understands, could see his ‘dream’ become reality this summer. Liverpool are pursuing a host of left-sided centre-halves, including Levi Colwill, Piero Hincapie, Goncalo Inacio and Lloyd Kelly, with a member of Feyenoord’s Eredivisie-winning side also on their radar.
He, of course, is not the only one at De Kuip with admirers at Anfield. After their pursuit of Xabi Alonso ended in frustration, and after talks with Ruben Amorim, Arne Slot has emerged as the latest frontrunner to take over from Jurgen Klopp, HITC having been told that the 45-year-old Dutchman is admired by the club’s CEO of Football Michael Edwards.
Now, it is not exactly uncommon for managers moving to a new club to bring a few trusted lieutenants with them. And if Slot wanted to book Hancko a seat on the plane to England’s north west, it’s hard to imagine that Liverpool would go to great lengths to hide the former Sparta Prague stopper’s passport.
Hancko’s agent admitted, back in January, that Liverpool are not alone in pursuing the 26-year-old. There is interest from Paris Saint-Germain too. But with Hancko a self-professed Reds fanatic, and having described the Premier League as his ‘dream’ destination, PSG would be on the back foot from the get-go should any bidding war develop over the summer months.
Arne Slot on the Anfield radar
“I think (Hancko) the best in the Eredivisie,” former Feyenoord striker Ali Boussaboun argues, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport of the £25 million-rated southpaw. “Hancko, a really great player.
“A club that wants to build up (from the back), Hancko can do that very well. And for a team that wants to play attacking football with space in behind, Hancko is fast. A really great player.
“So complete. He never does stupid things, never picks up stupid cards. He is always calm, scores goals…
“A truly great defender.”