Liverpool in talks for Virgil van Dijk replacement: report

Liverpool is the only Premier League team that has not made a new signing this summer, but they have been reportedly linked to several players.

A move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi came up short when the Spaniard opted to remain in the Basque country,  while other transfer links have centred around long-term successors for some of the club’s key first-team players. 

Liverpool have been working on a deal to bring Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to Anfield as the club plan for eventual life after Alisson Becker, while France left-back Adrien Truffert has been linked as a potential replacement for Andy Robertson.

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The next player that the Reds are reportedly looking to find a successor for is Virgil van Dijk, with the 33-year-old now in the final year of his current contract at Anfield.

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool have reignited interest in Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio, who was first linked with the club when Inacio’s club boss Ruben Amorim was a contender to replace Jurgen Klopp this summer.

The club would go on to appoint Dutchman Arne Slot, but he is said to have told new sporting director Richard Hughes to pursue a deal for the 22-year-old left-sided centre-back.

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The club are now said to be preparing a ‘concrete’ approach to try and win the race for the Portugal international, who is also the subject of interest from Aston Villa.

The report adds that this fresh interest in Inacio comes as Villa and Newcastle United are stepping up their pursuits of Reds defender Joe Gomez, with Liverpool open to letting him leave.

Sporting are said to be demanding €45million for their academy graduate, which is in line with his Transfermarkt valuation. In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Liverpool are doing the right thing in looking to find Van Dijk’s successor, with his age and contract situation meaning that the clock is very much ticking on that front.

At the age of 22, Inacio’s best years are ahead of him, but he already has more than 175 senior appearances to his name for club and country meaning that the ball-playing defender is more than capable of playing a part for Liverpool straight away. Sporting’s financial model sees them regularly selling players, so he should be attainable.

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