Talks underway at AC Milan for dream Virgil van Dijk deal | OneFootball

Liverpool have been undergoing an intense shakeup of their centre-back options.

Ibrahima Konate has left the club on a free transfer - joining Real Madrid in a blockbuster Bosman deal.

The outgoing Premier League champions meanwhile have tied up the signings over the past year of several promising young defenders. We’ve seen Giovanni Leoni arrive along with Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe.

And on Wednesday the £60m signing of Jeremy Jacquet officially went through. Sporting director Richard Hughes is building for the future - with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez out of contract in 2027.

Zlatan wants Van Dijk deal

Both are expected to leave Anfield at the end of their current deals - or sooner in the case of Gomez if a willing buyer can be found.

There have been whispers over Van Dijk too with the soon-to-be 35-year-old on the radar of Galatasaray in recent weeks.

Van Dijk remains an integral part of the Liverpool backline - but that hasn’t stopped new suitors in the shape of AC Milan from making their intentions known.

La Gazzetta dello Sport is now reporting that Van Dijk is the dream target of Milan advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic - who is a shareholder in Milan owners RedBird Capital.

AC Milan owners now discussing signing Van Dijk

There is of course a link between RedBird and Liverpool with Gerry Cardinale’s investment firm a minority holder in the Anfield outfit through their dealings with Fenway Sports Group.

Zlatan has now caught the ear of the RedBird exec - according to the report - with Milan now weighing up an offer for the Dutch centre-back.

“Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in the spring, told the club he wanted a specific player: Virgil van Dijk,” the report reads.

“Impossible to get him? Perhaps. Van Dijk has another year left on his contract with Liverpool, and Liverpool have already lost Ibrahima Konaté in this transfer window, who will leave at the end of his contract and join Real Madrid after the World Cup with France.

“However, the idea of ​​Van Dijk has reached Cardinale, and an evaluation of the matter is underway within RedBird. Whether it will lead to an offer remains to be seen.

“Obviously, it wouldn't be a question of Liverpool's financial proposal, but rather of Van Dijk's desire and salary, which is inevitably very important.”

Van Dijk making £400k per week

Van Dijk commands a £400k per week pay packet at Liverpool and it wouldn’t be easy to convince him to give that up. But maybe Milan might offer the defensive colossus a longer-term deal to make up the shortfall.

Liverpool would be ill-advised to take an offer for Van Dijk given his centrality to the project. But with time ticking down on his deal Richard Hughes may well consider the savings on his salary as well as a small fee coming in return from Milan.