Real Madrid want Liverpool star along with Trent Alexander-Arnold in 2025 - Reports
Real Madrid have set their sights on Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to MARCA via Football Transfers. The Dutch defender has entered the final year of his contract with the Reds and is yet to sign a new deal.
Recent reports have suggested that the Merseyside club is in talks to tie the 33-year-old down to a new deal. Van Dijk joined Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for a reported £75m fee, which was then a world record for a defender.
The Dutchman has transformed the Red's fortunes since his arrival, winning multiple trophies, including the Premier League and the Champions League. He has chipped in with 25 goals and 13 assists from 291 games for the Merseyside club so far.
Real Madrid, pleased with his efforts, are now plotting to prise him away. Los Blancos are already hot on the heels of Alexander-Arnold, whose contract also expires next summer.
Interestingly, the LaLiga champions are planning a defensive revamp and have decided to offload both David Alaba and Eder Militao. The Canadian is yet to return from an ACL injury picked up in December 2023.
Militao, meanwhile, is out for the season after rupturing his ACL last month. Real Madrid have now run out of patience with the duo and are ready to let them go.
Los Blancos have had their eyes on Van Dijk for a while and are apparently planning a move for the player to address their defensive woes. However, the Dutchman has been indispensable under Arne Slot this season, helping register 12 clean sheets from 21 appearances across competitions. As such, prising him away won't be easy.
Will Trent Alexander-Arnold leave Liverpool to join Real Madrid?
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has warned Trent Alexander-Arnold that he could tarnish his image with fans if he leaves for Real Madrid. Los Blancos could be tempted to move for the player in January to address Dani Carvajal's absence due to an ACL injury.
However, a move is likelier in the summer, and the LaLiga giants may not be willing to pay a fee for a player who could be available for free in six months. Interestingly, if the Englishman continues to stall a renewal, Real Madrid could agree a pre-contract with the player in January.
However, in his column for The Daily Telegraph, Carragher warned his countryman that fans may not warm up to his departure from Anfield.
"The fans’ attitude towards Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, both also out of contract in the summer, is not the same as it is for Trent. There are lots of reasons for that but a big part of that is the local-boy factor. The feeling is that playing for Liverpool should be the ultimate ambition for a Liverpool lad. It was that way for Macca, Michael, Stevie and myself and it will be the same for Trent and Curtis Jones," wrote Carragher.
Alexander-Arnold has registered 19 goals and 84 assists from 330 games for Liverpool to date.