Liverpool are ready to battle Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich to sign Sevilla defender Loic Bade during the January window. The Reds are actively seeking a successor for their captain, Virgil van Dijk, who is now 33 years old.
Van Dijk is playing in the last season of his current contract with uncertainty surrounding negotiations for a new deal. Liverpool have maintained a strict policy of not giving lucrative deals to players nearing the end of their prime years.
However, the Dutch captain’s situation is unique as he continues to dominate the footballing world and play regularly for Liverpool. The 33-year-old has done plenty to achieve a new contract plus Liverpool cannot lose their top assets as free agents.
Van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world, if not the best, showing no regression in performance. Nevertheless, Liverpool lacks competition for him and needs another left centre-back to compete with and eventually succeed Van Dijk.
According to Fichajes, Liverpool wants Sevilla defender Bade to succeed Van Dijk and face stern competition from PSG and Bayern. The 24-year-old has a release clause of 60 million Euros and earns €80,192 per week, featuring regularly for the Spanish club.
Player analysis: Loic Bade
Standing at 1.91 metres, the Frenchman has the dominant presence in the backline, possessing balance and strength to accommodate height. Bade’s lack of pace is one of his weaknesses but his strong sense of positioning allows him to counter that.
The 24-year-old is a right-footed centre-back with the ability and technique to influence the game from the backline in possession. Bade ventures forward with the ball, capable of dribbling like Joel Matip used to do for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.
Bade has reached the peak year of his career and honed his talent, leaving experience as the only development source. The 24-year-old is not close to Van Dijk in performance and consistency but has everything to become a top defender.
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Bade has a strong profile with fantastic capabilities in aerial duels, passing, and possession, making him a candidate to succeed Van Dijk. However, Liverpool prefers a left-footed player, and the Frenchman has certain weaknesses, such as a lack of pace. English Premier League is ruthless in exploiting the weaknesses of any player if they fail to settle into the environment.
