Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, whose contract with Liverpool is up for the season, is believed to be in ongoing negotiations with the club.
He is still a key player in the final line and both sides are expected to want him to stay, but the key will be whether they can agree terms.
On the other hand, he is 33 years old and is also looking for a long-term successor If they leave on a free transfer, Liverpool will move to secure a new centre-back, and a player who can already play regularly will come to Anfield.
Christian Falk (German journalist) has a unique perspective on the veteran defender’s departure He said a move to the Bundesliga was unlikely due to the lack of clubs outside Bayern Munich that could pay his salary.
“Sorry about Virgil van Dijk. I’m a big fan of him but he’s too old for Bayern Munich at the moment, as they’re trying to construct a very complex defence with Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae. They need fast players, which is why they sold Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United. I think Virgil van Dijk doesn’t have this speed and kind of defending for this really high back four.”
“I’m really sorry about this, as I’d love to see him in the Bundesliga, but at this point, I think Bayern Munich would be the only club in the Bundesliga that could afford his wages (and where he’d like to go), so I see no future for him in the German top-flight.”
“He’s a player who could fit perfectly for many clubs in Italy’s Serie A, but the door is closed for him in Germany.”
Fact Files column