Liverpool ready to cash in on Virgil van Dijk this summer- On one condition

Liverpool will only sell Virgil van Dijk this summer if they can bring in a replacement

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk opened a can of worms following his comment after the Netherlands were knocked out of Euro 2024 earlier this summer. The Dutchman, who made 48 appearances for Liverpool last season and served his first year as captain, has been one of Jurgen Klopp’s stalwarts, but he is not getting any younger.

Van Dijk is 33 and has seen better times in the sport. his peak is behind him and the Dutchman is a player on the decline. While he still packs a punch, the Liverpool skipper will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. While replacing him after just one season as skipper might seem extreme, the club cannot afford to stay put and not move forward.

Liverpool will only sell Virgil van Dijk this summer if they can bring in a replacement.

The veteran was linked with an exit earlier this summer, with Saudi Pro League giants keen on his services. While the rumours have died down in recent weeks, it remains to be seen if it is completely off the table. After all, it will not be the first time that a Reds skipper has opted to move to the Middle East rather than stay put at Anfield.

Coming to where Liverpool stand, the Reds are expected to retain the services of their star defender. This is according to Ben Jacobs, who outlined the club’s plans exclusively for Give Me Sport.

Liverpool are yet to receive an offer from Saudi Arabia for Van Dijk and should one even arrive, it is unlikely to be accepted unless the Reds can bring in a suitable replacement. With just weeks left before the 2024 summer transfer window shuts, we for one consider an imminent exit unlikely.

Virgil’s future could tie into what the Reds can offer Trent Alexander-Arnold to stave off interest from Real Madrid. The vice-captain is also in the final year of his contract and is primed to take the armband in the near future as Liverpool aim to secure his future at Anfield.

Moving Van Dijk on will certainly make the job easier, rather than demoting the veteran. Every love story has to come to an end and should Van Dijk go on to leave in the near future, he will do so as a club legend.

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Should Van Dijk leave, the Reds will need to bring in a similarly dominant centre-back who can don the Dutchman’s role for years to come. It comes as no surprise that Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni is a name that is making the rounds of late and is widely considered to be the best young left-sided centre-back in world football today. The Italian would be a sensational heir indeed. Whether that is the plan remains to be seen.