Manchester City’s Champions League showdown with Napoli on Thursday will pit two close friends against each other, and TEAMtalk believes that one of the pair is a long-term goal for Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
Pep Guardiola’s team will look to improve on their 3-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday when they welcome the Italian champions at the Etihad.
Beyond the significance of the match, all eyes will be on Napoli defender Sam Beukema, who has a lengthy history with Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders.
The relationship between the two began almost a decade ago. Reijnders was already demonstrating midfield talent at Twente’s development academy in 2013 before Beukema arrived to anchor the defensive.
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They had a good understanding both on and off the pitch from the very first training sessions. Beukema’s father was even involved in Reijnders’ career, assisting him with representation in the early years.
At 14 years old, the pair traveled to Italy together for a friendly against Juventus’ young team, followed by a match at the Juventus Stadium. That excursion offered them their first taste of Italian football.
After reuniting on the pitch at AZ Alkmaar, they both moved to Italy in the summer of 2023, with Reijnders joining AC Milan and Beukema joining Bologna. Now, in 2025, they’ll compete on the largest platform of all: the Champions League. Childhood teammates, Serie A opponents, and still friends, Thursday night will mark another memorable chapter in their careers as two of the Netherlands’ biggest players.
Arne Slot wants to lure Napoli star to Liverpool
TEAMtalk knows that Liverpool manager Slot is a longtime admirer of Beukema. Slot trained the 26-year-old in the Netherlands, and the coach sees him as a potential future addition.
This summer, the centre-back moved from Bologna to Napoli for €31 million (£26.8 million / $36.6 million), and he scored on his Serie A debut against Fiorentina.
Liverpool will be looking for a centre-back in January, but more likely next summer, as the future of Ibrahima Konate, who is in his final year at Anfield, is questionable.
However, we understand that Liverpool may be interested in signing Beukema because of Slot’s connection to and appreciation for the player.
It will be intriguing to watch if Antonio Conte gives the Dutchman the opportunity to start against Manchester City on Thursday, when his longstanding relationship with Reijnders comes into focus, and how he performs during the season.
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