Three big European clubs – including one not yet linked this year – are ready to submit offers to Virgil van Dijk if he lets his Liverpool contract expire, according to a report.
With the end of his contract approaching at the end of the season, Liverpool have been hoping that Van Dijk will pen fresh terms. The general view for a while has been that he is the most likely to renew his contract compared to Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
But nothing is signed yet – at least to public knowledge – and Van Dijk could still be taken away from Anfield for no transfer fee in the summer.
As for where he could go, an update from Rousing The Kop claims two Spanish sides and one German outfit are lining up offers.
Real Madrid are keeping tabs on the situation and would be willing to propose a two-year contract to Van Dijk, despite him turning 34 in July.
However, their cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid have now joined the race, which is a new development since they’ve not been linked with the Dutch centre-back since the summer.
The report claims Atleti would also look to tempt Van Dijk with a deal until 2027.
The third and final European suitor for Van Dijk could be Bayern Munich, whose manager Vincent Kompany has been encouraging the club to make a move for the four-time PFA Premier League Team of the Year member.
Given that Kompany was playing for Manchester City until the age of 33 himself, it’s easy to see why he would still have faith in a player like Van Dijk – especially when the Dutchman has logged more than 3,500 minutes of action this season.
And the report adds that all three of the interested clubs were watching Liverpool’s game against Paris Saint-Germain through the week, not just because of who they could come up against in the Champions League.
But Van Dijk might also be able to continue his career outside of Europe, with the Saudi Pro League representing another potential post-Liverpool destination.
Liverpool belief over Van Dijk future
Earlier this week, Ben Jacobs reported on TEAMtalk that Liverpool are confident Van Dijk isn’t yet in talks with any other club.
The rules would have permitted him to hold talks with foreign suitors from the start of January, but it seems he is fully focused on Liverpool’s title pursuit at this stage.
That said, the report from Rousing The Kop – while sharing similar information that Van Dijk’s camp aren’t actively reaching out to other clubs – admits that the former Celtic star is ‘well aware of the options he has away from Liverpool’.
Staying on Merseyside remains his first choice, but he will have a few options to pick from if Liverpool can’t strike an agreement.
And whether or not they do will have an impact on what kind of centre-back they sign in the summer. They are planning to bring in a new one either way, but the pedigree of player they bring in will be different if it’s someone to play alongside Van Dijk or someone to replace him.
TEAMtalk has been informed of a five-man defensive shortlist, which includes Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi as centre-back options, along with a few faces to consider at left-back.
Huijsen’s name also comes up in Rousing The Kop‘s report, alongside Chelsea’s Levi Colwill, Sporting’s Goncalo Inacio and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez.
Colwill and Inacio are both left-footed. Liverpool don’t have any left-footed centre-backs at the moment, partially because Van Dijk has thrived as a right-footed LCB.
Therefore, if he leaves, it could finally be time to fill the gap with a left-footer. Even if he stays – and Liverpool have every right to be hopeful that he will – it could be something the club look at, though perhaps with a lower profile.
Latest Liverpool transfer news
Meanwhile, Liverpool have learned how they could yet receive some money if Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves for Real Madrid.
It’s been predicted that Alexander-Arnold would receive some backlash for leaving his boyhood club for nothing, but after making an approach to buy him in January, Real Madrid might have a new plan that would entail them paying Liverpool a small fee.
The latest claims suggest Madrid want Alexander-Arnold to play for them in the Club World Cup, and so they could pay to sign the right-back in the extraordinary window before it.
In other news, a swap deal has been suggested whereby Liverpool would lose one of Van Dijk’s defensive partners in return for a Real Madrid forward.
Elsewhere, Liverpool are looking closely at Marcus Thuram as a potential new striker, but they face competition from two Premier League rivals for the Inter Milan frontman.
Van Dijk’s importance to Liverpool success
Virgil van Dijk with the EFL Cup
Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool honours and how much he played on their road to winning them