From the trio of footballers whose futures have become a priority for Liverpool’s management in recent weeks, Virgil van Dijk was the only one without clear options if he decided to leave Anfield. Mohamed Salah was linked to Saudi clubs last June, with speculation also surrounding Paris Saint-Germain, while Trent Alexander-Arnold reportedly has Real Madrid on his mind. The fate of the Dutch defender, however, hasn’t drawn much media attention recently. Nonetheless, Van Dijk’s plan was to join Arnold on a move to Madrid—or at least, it was, as the reigning European champions have reportedly ruled out such a possibility. According to the increasingly respected Relevo, Liverpool’s defensive stalwart offered his services to Real Madrid through his agent, but he was allegedly informed right away that Madrid is not considering him.Trent told Real to bid for him, claims former Liverpool legendFrom Kylian Mbappé to Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba, Real Madrid has significantly strengthened its squad in recent years, leveraging the famed Bosman rule. Aware of this, as well as the club’s need for reinforcements in central defense, the 33-year-old Dutchman proposed joining the 15-time European champions. However, despite having one of the best seasons of his career, Real Madrid reportedly set his offer aside due to his age and conditions. They opted to focus on other profiles, even though Van Dijk could have joined without a transfer fee. Players like Joško Gvardiol, Micky van de Ven, and Castello Lukeba are some of the alternatives the club’s sporting sector finds convincing, both technically and tactically. According to Relevo, Real plans to add another center-back, but fulfilling that desire will likely wait until this June or next year, as the mentioned options are currently too expensive.🚨 Virgil Van Dijk’s agents contacted Real Madrid to inform them of the player’s willingness to join in the summer.Real Madrid rejected as they want players who are better suited to what they’re looking for. @relevo pic.twitter.com/yM6l0zjVA6— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) January 6, 2025 Relevo also notes that Real Madrid’s decision highlights their confidence in their current squad. This primarily refers to David Alaba, who has been dealing with a long-term injury, and Éder Militão, who has torn his knee ligament for the second time in just a year and a half. As a result, Carlo Ancelotti has been forced to pull Aurélien Tchouaméni into the backline, while Raúl Asensio has also been given a chance and reportedly earned a new contract with better terms in a short time. This is something Van Dijk also likely aimed for but failed to achieve.##NAJAVA_MECA_8617638##
