Real Madrid is reportedly eyeing not one, but two of Liverpool's players during next summer's transfer window, with Virgil van Dijk now apparently on the Spanish club's wishlist.
Van Dijk, like Trent Alexander-Arnold, is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season and will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January 1.
And although the Dutchman has stated his desire to remain with the Reds, Madrid is reportedly interested in changing his mind with an offer to move to the Bernabeu.
Madrid has struggled with a host of defensive injuries this season, with Eder Militao, David Alaba and Dani Carvajal all long-term absentees with serious knee problems.
The club is said to be considering offloading Militao and Alaba due to concerns of their injury records, and Van Dijk is viewed as a dream addition to the squad, according to footballtransfers.com.
Van Dijk, 33, rejected Liverpool's opening offer to renew his contract at Anfield but that was reportedly a negotiation tactic, and talks are ongoing over a fresh deal to keep him at the club next season and beyond.
There is said to be an apparent willingness from both sides for an agreement to be reached over a renewal, which is little surprise given how good Van Dijk has been this season and how much he enjoys playing for the club.
Meanwhile, concrete updates on Alexander-Arnold's future have been scarce, and it has been reported in recent weeks that he is the most likely player out of him, Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah to leave at the end of the season.
However, Arne Slot could not confirm whether that was the case, saying during the embargoed section of his pre-Tottenham press conference: “I don’t know if it’s true that he’s the one most likely to leave – we don’t talk about contracts in here!"