Liverpool have shortlisted Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck and Nottingham Forest’s Murillo as potential options to replace Virgil van Dijk, according to CaughtOffside.
Van Dijk arrived at Anfield from Southampton in December 2017 for a then-record-breaking move. He has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell that includes two Premier League and Carabao Cups, one UEFA Champions League, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup, the FA Cup and extensive individual accolades, including the 2019 UEFA Best Player and the 2018-19 Premier League player of the season.
The Dutchman has even been hailed as ‘the best centre-back we’ve ever seen in the Premier League’ by former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher. While that can be debatable, one fact remains constant: Van Dijk has been the most consistent defender in England over the past decade and is certainly among the best defenders in the league’s history.
With his deal set to expire at the end of the ongoing season and no contract extension talks in sight, it appears Van Dijk could be playing his final season at the club.
As a result, CaughtOffside reports that Liverpool are stepping up their plans to rebuild their backline and have shortlisted Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck and Forest’s Murillo as possible options amid uncertainties surrounding Virgil van Dijk’s future.
Four-man shortlist
For Schlotterbeck, CaughtOffside, citing the Daily Briefing, claims that the German international remains one of the Reds’ leading targets and his leadership qualities, having been made captain of Dortmund, along with his on-ball qualities, combativeness in winning duels, strong aerial dominance and ability to step into midfield, align with what Liverpool are seeking.
While Liverpool are not mentioned outright, CaughtOffside reports that Dortmund have set a valuation of around £47-50m in Schlotterbeck’s new contract for specific clubs from the summer of 2027 and also suggests a £57m valuation for other clubs.
On the other hand, the Merseyside giants also admire Murillo’s unique profile, especially his proven Premier League experience, aggressive defending, pace and ability to carry and play the ball out from the back, according to the report.
However, with four years remaining on his contract, Forest are in no hurry to sell the Brazilian international, and it’ll only take a significant offer for the club to consider his departure, as per the report, so Liverpool will need to submit an offer well above his £41m Transfermarkt valuation
In addition to Murillo and Schlotterbeck, the report adds that Liverpool also have Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Barcelona’s Jules Koundé on their shortlist of centre-back targets.
All four are experienced defenders and possess attractive qualities that would be useful to Andoni Iraola, so it’ll be interesting to see who Liverpool will prioritise ahead of the 2027 transfer windows
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