Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk might be the likeliest one of himself, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold to pen a new deal at the club but with his age in mind, the Reds are anyways obliged to bring in a central defender sooner rather than later. As always, the 33-year-old has been vital for the team at the back and will need a worthy enough replacement.
Football Insider has reported that Liverpool have drawn up a three-man shortlist of Premier League defenders who they could sign this summer. Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and Tottenham Hotspur man Micky van de Ven spearhead the club’s prospective transfers for the summer after superb displays over the past few months.
Huijsen looks like the most logical signing
From the three players Liverpool have on their radar, it is safe to assume that pursuing a move for Micky van de Ven would be a herculean task. Tottenham Hotspur have the Dutchman firmly in his plans for the foreseeable future and could quote his sale at an unreasonably high price, thereby resulting to the Premier League leaders cooling interest in the 23-year-old.
Marc Guehi, on the other hand, is expected to cost close to £75 million. The Englishman has been subject to interest from Arsenal as well as Chelsea, so Liverpool will need to put forth their best monetary offer to Crystal Palace and the player. In addition, the Blues, his former side, will be prepared to break the bank for him considering his roots at Cobham.
Dean Huijsen is the most realistic option for Liverpool, as a result. He has a release clause of £55 million, which is a reasonable price in the ongoing market conditions. Moreover, the Bournemouth star is the youngest of the available options while arguably being the strongest technically as well as a good passer of the ball, like Van Dijk.
It will be interesting to see what comes of Van Dijk’s future in the summer but with a defender expected to arrive at Anfield nevertheless, the Reds will hope their captain stays on a short-term deal and allows the transitional phase to fall in place with relative ease.
