Whether or not Virgil van Dijk signs a new contract that will keep him at Liverpool beyond the end of the upcoming 2024/25 season, the towering Reds captain will shortly celebrate his 33rd birthday and time will dictate that he doesn’t have that much longer left at the top.
Van Dijk has been an invaluable servant to Liverpool ever since he became the club’s then record signing with a £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Within six months, he was playing in the Champions League final. A year later, he won it, and a year after that Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to be crowned champions of England.
Van Dijk will leave Liverpool as a legend whenever it happens – he isn’t concerned that he doesn’t yet have a contract with more than a season left on it. But while a farewell isn’t likely to happen for at least a year, the smart thing to do would be plan for the future now.
Here are six potential options who could replace Van Dijk, whose physical presence and leadership as much as his footballing ability have made him such an important player.
Age: 27
Height: 1.92m
Current club: Crystal Palace
Contract: 2026
If Liverpool wanted another centre-back already proven in the Premier League, Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen might be considered low-hanging fruit. He comes with plenty of experience and was part of an Eagles team that ended 2023/24 in blistering form.
With England internationals usually priced at a premium, the Dane is also probably a far cheaper option than Palace centre-back partner Marc Guehi.
Age: 22
Height: 1.90m
Current club: Southampton
Contract: 2026
Armel Bella-Kotchap was earning rave reviews in a struggling Southampton team last season, to the point where he was being linked with Bayern Munich. The young German ultimately stayed with the Saints, but went on join PSV Eindhoven on loan, rather than play in the Championship.
It looked as though he would be a starter until a shoulder injury derailed his campaign only a few games in, after which Bella-Kotchap couldn’t reclaim his place. Fully fit, his potential remains huge.
Age: 23
Height: 1.84m
Current club: Feyenoord
Contract: 2025
One player already very well known to new Liverpool boss Arne Slot is Lutsharel Geertruida. He spent much of this season as a…
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