Liverpool veteran eyed by Euro club as Anfield reunion edges closer

Liverpool have a lot of tough decisions to make ahead of the January transfer window.

A handful of their players have their contracts expiring this summer which means that, from January, they'll be able to talk to clubs outside of England about a potential move.

And, if they reach an agreement with a club on terms that they're happy with, they can accept the deal and there will be nothing that Liverpool can do about it.

So, the sooner Liverpool figure out which of their players they want to keep, the better.

Virgil van Dijk is probably the highest-rated Liverpool player who's contract expires in June 2027.

The Dutchman has been the rock in the centre of the Reds' defence for as long as anyone can remember with fans unable to imagine a Liverpool squad without him among it.

His performances alone have often won the Reds games and, he's single-handedly earned them points thanks to his aerial prowess.

Obviously, there have been one or two occasions this term when he's made the odd mistake but, he's still, without question, the Reds' best centre-back.

But, since he's now 35 years old, questions are being asked about whether he can keep this level of form up over the next couple of years with this being one of the main reasons why a new contract hasn't been agreed for him yet.

This lack of decisiveness has led to many different clubs from across the globe showing an interest in signing him with La Gazetta dello Sport now throwing another team into the ring.

"Van Dijk isn't just a Cardinale fan, but also Zlatan Ibrahimovic," they wrote.

"There's a connection between giants. Obviously, however, there's no shortage of admirers even far from Milan.

"Starting with Turkish clubs (Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Trabzonspor, with Momo Salah eager to reunite with his former teammate on the Bosphorus) and Saudi Arabia.

"Van Dijk turns 36 on July 8th, and his next contract will likely be the last of his career, or thereabouts. If his priority is money, AC Milan will inevitably have an uphill battle.

"Conversely, if Virgil wants to pursue his childhood passions, the Rossoneri jersey could be one of the most desirable opportunities.

As mentioned, Van Dijk is literally the heart of Liverpool's defence.

Without him, the club would be nowhere near as good as they are now and, would almost certainly be residing outside of the Champions League spots.

But, with the Dutchman now entering the twilight stages of his career, it's clear to see why questions are being asked about his future.

If the Reds do decide to call it quits with their captain, they must have a replacement lined up for him because, as good as Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are, neither of them can be expected to fill Van Dijk's shoes yet.

Both defenders are still in the early stages of their careers and, right now, Leoni still hasn't even returned from his ACL tear he suffered at the start of last season.

Centre-backs such as Nico Schlotterbeck, Jacobo Ramon and Finn Jeltsch have all been linked as potential options to explore but, as of right now, nothing concrete has laid out.

If Van Dijk does leave Liverpool and ends up becoming Mohamed Salah's teammate again, one of these players needs to turn into a concrete interest and the Reds must figure out what their plans are.

Because, at the moment, it feels like their defence is in a bit of disarray, especially since Ronald Araujo is only on a season long loan and will be exiting Anfield in June 2027.