Liverpool Joined By Barcelona In The Race To Sign Long-term Defensive Target

Virgil van Dijk is a wanted man as Liverpool are reportedly still in the market for the 26-year-old defender. Our move to sign him from Southampton fell apart in the summer after the Saints lodged a complaint against us on the tapping up of Van Dijk but we could go in to sign him in the winter window.

That will certainly test the mettle of Southampton but our problems will increase as Sports Illustrated claims that Barcelona are also looking at Van Dijk as an option to bolster their defence.

The Catalan giants were linked with a move for Philippe Coutinho in the summer, where we ensured our Brazilian talisman would not be sold at any price. However, reports from the media suggest that Ernesto Valverde wants cover for Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti, who are the first-choice pair at the moment.

The club does have Javier Mascherano but the Argentine is adept at playing in midfield too and that is another reason why the Catalans are looking at Van Dijk.

Southampton had stated that their player was not for sale and that the club don’t need to sell him, thanks to the investment from the new owners. But Van Dijk himself stated that he would be looking for a move away in the winter window, so you can expect a lot of rumours coming in.

Van Dijk was also suspended by Southampton in the wake of his transfer request but he has been reintegrated into the squad and has made a return to the Saints’ starting XI.

Liverpool are still in prime position to sign the player up but Southampton might just want to ensure that we don’t get our hands on the central defender that Jurgen Klopp has pencilled out.

It was frustrating in the summer when we could not sign a quality central defender who could have made us rock-solid at the back. Klopp believes Van Dijk is the man but if Barcelona come calling, it might put a doubt in the mind of the Dutch defender as to where to go.

At the moment, Barcelona looks like a tantalising proposition and it would be tough to say no to the La Liga side but Van Dijk knows the Premier League well and if we do come in with a large bid, we just might be able to snatch the defender away.