Just In: Liverpool star “fought until the last minute” to join Real Madrid in the summer | OneFootball

In a surprising revelation, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk reportedly made a determined push to join Real Madrid last summer before eventually renewing his contract at Anfield, according to a report from Diario AS. The story resurfaced on the same day that the two European giants meet in the UEFA Champions League, adding extra intrigue to an already heated fixture.

The Spanish outlet claims that Van Dijk and his representatives “fought until the last minute” to secure a switch to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Van Dijk reached out to Real Madrid to join them

His agents are said to have reached out to intermediaries in Spain in a bid to establish direct contact with Real Madrid’s hierarchy, hoping to explore the possibility of a move.

However, the approach was met with a lukewarm response from the Madrid side, who decided against pursuing the Dutch defender and instead focused on younger alternatives.

At that time, Van Dijk had not yet committed to an extension. This uncertainty reportedly fueled speculation that the Dutchman might seek a new challenge abroad after his dominance with Liverpool in England.

Ultimately, Real Madrid opted to move in a different direction, investing in youth by signing Dean Huijsen and maintaining faith in Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, and David Alaba.

Liverpool captain ended up signing a new deal

Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Van Dijk reaffirmed his loyalty to Liverpool by signing a contract extension in the summer and extending his stay with the Merseyside club.

Since then, the Dutch international has continued to lead Liverpool both on and off the pitch. With Real Madrid visiting Anfield in a pivotal Champions League clash, the timing of the report has reignited discussion about what might have been.

While Madrid turned elsewhere, Van Dijk’s enduring influence at Liverpool suggests that, for now, both clubs have few regrets about how events unfolded.