Liverpool could REPLACE Virgil van Dijk with BARGAIN £17m defender

Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool contracts are up at the end of the season and that issue has been discussed intensely.

In the event that the Reds lose all three superstars in 2025, plenty of replacements have been discussed.

Michael Kayode has been mentioned as a successor to Alexander-Arnold, while Dario Osorio or Jamie Gittens may well come into the fray in place of Salah.

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And one of the more prominent rumours around Van Dijk concerns Sevilla centre-back Loic Badé.

Badé has been a mainstay in the heart of Sevilla’s defence since last season, with his impressive level of performance earning him a call-up to the French senior team for the first time in the last international break.

Whilst he is yet to make his debut for the national side, the fact that Didier Deschamps has selected Badé in the same squad as Ibrahima Konaté and William Saliba is an incredibly positive indicator of the standard he is playing at currently.

How much would Badé cost?

Although previous reports have stated that the Frenchman has a £42million release clause in his contract, Mundo Deportivo are reporting now that Sevilla’s asking price starts at just £17m.

Signing the player won’t be a straightforward process, with Roma reportedly attempting to buy Badé in the most recent transfer window, but such a reasonable fee will be music to the ears of those responsible at Anfield.

Whether or not Van Dijk does depart Merseyside next summer, Liverpool need to start thinking about long-term options in his position with the captain being 33 years old now. 

One of the other emerging rumours is Liverpool’s interest in Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. The blue half of Merseyside surely won’t be happy, but Branthwaite is emerging as one of the foremost young defensive talents in the Premier League.

If Van Dijk were to leave, it may be the case that more than one replacement is necessary. Branthwaite and Badé together could be just the ticket.