Liverpool given leg up for Van Dijk replacement as Barcelona fume at elite centre-back | OneFootball

Liverpool could have been given a leg up in their search for a long-term Virgil van Dijk replacement, as Barcelona are annoyed at a centre-back that both clubs are targeting.

The Reds are losing two, maybe three of their longest-serving players this summer. Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson are definitely on the way out, and Alisson could follow.

That would leave Van Dijk as the only remaining member of an elite set of Liverpool stars. The Dutchman is under contract for another year come the end of the season, and he might well leave beyond then.

As such, the Reds are planning for his long-term replacement, as insider Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider.

He said: “[Liverpool] have been linked with the likes of Nico Schlotterbeck, Alessandro Bastoni, similar left-sided centre backs [to Goncalo Inacio].

“It’s obviously an area of the team that Liverpool will have to plan for in the future with Van Dijk coming to the end of his career.”

And Liverpool could have been given a leg up in their pursuit of Inter centre-back Bastoni. They have been linked with him for a while, as have Barcelona, but the Spanish side are getting annoyed at him.

Indeed, Sport reports their frustrations stem from a feeling that Bastoni should be doing more to get Inter to drop their asking price of €60million (£51.8m.)

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Bastoni prefers Barcelona

TEAMtalk is well aware that Liverpool have been tracking the Inter man, as have Chelsea and aforementioned Spanish club Barcelona.

Sources revealed of late that the English clubs had taken a hit, with Bastoni making it evident that he’d prefer to move to Barca.

That has led to both clubs advancing on other centre-back options, while keeping the Inter man on the back burner.

But with Barca growing frustrated at him, Liverpool and Chelsea could have a better chance than previously though of landing him.

For the Reds’ desire to land a centre-back who can take over from Van Dijk, that’s a potentially very intriguing development.