Liverpool have reportedly identified Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck as the successor to captain Virgil van Dijk. The Germany international has carved out a stellar reputation in his homeland due to his speed and ability on the ball.
Van Dijk’s contract at Anfield is due to expire this summer, with the Dutchman yet to pen fresh terms. He is expected to renew before the end of the campaign but will celebrate his 34th birthday in July. And there are question marks over how long he can perform at the elite level demanded of top defenders in the Premier League.
Liverpool have one eye on finding a replacement for Van Dijk as Reds boss Arne Slot looks to build on the early promise he has shown in the Anfield dugout. And, according to Sport Bild, Schlotterbeck is on the club’s list of targets.
But the Merseyside giants may struggle to prise the centre-back away from Germany as Dortmund want to give him a new contract.
Schlotterbeck is currently contracted to Dortmund until 2027 but could have his head turned by his suitors in the Premier League if Liverpool offer him an agreement in excess of the £5million-a-year deal he currently has.
Slot was asked about Van Dijk during an interview with Gary Lineker for Football Focus in January. And the 46-year-old explained: “Everybody here in England would tell you that Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world.
“In Holland, he got a bit more criticism than he gets over here in England. I was, in a very positive way, surprised how good he was on the ball and how he could play football through the lines.
“From the first day I was like, 'Wow, this is definitely another level that I'm used to.’ But people in England were used to this.”
Van Dijk has remained tight-lipped about his future at Anfield, with rumours circulating last month that he had already signed a new deal to stay put.
But the blockbuster star insisted: “What the future brings I have no idea. Anybody who says they know it - they are wrong.”
Ahead of the second leg of Liverpool’s last-16 Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain, Van Dijk had racked up 39 appearances in all competitions under Slot.
And he will be aiming to skipper his side to the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup treble before the campaign comes to an end.