Bournemouth open door to £50m Liverpool - Huijsen deal

Virgil van Dijk’s contract extension will have been welcome news for Liverpool supporters.

The club captain has committed the next two seasons of his career to the Reds, and he could lift the Premier League title less than a month after doing so.

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Virgil’s renewed terms don’t appear to have put Richard Hughes off the idea of signing another central defender, however.

One of Liverpool's top targets in the position appears to be Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen who, at just 20-years-old, is one of the most exciting prospects in Europe.

Huijsen has a release clause in his contract which the Reds are reportedly planning to meet, and a new report is suggesting that the Cherries are already planning for life after Huijsen.

Bournemouth searching for Huijsen replacement

According to TBR Football, Bournemouth have begun to assess their options to replace Huijsen, and Cristhian Mosquera, Jorge Herrando, Oumar Solet and Montassar Talbi are on the Cherries’ list.

The report also states that Bournemouth are keen to get a deal for Huijsen done quickly so they can reinvest the money.

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The Spain international’s release clause reportedly sits at £50 million and the fact that his club are already looking for alternatives suggests that they feel this price will be paid.

Liverpool are no strangers to getting their business done early, sometimes even agreeing deals before the window is open, and an agreement for Huijsen may not be too far away.

Liverpool’s need for a new central defender

Having Van Dijk at the club for at least another season is of course a massive help, but the Reds’ defence is still in need of a refresh.

Ibrahima Konate is about to enter the final year of his contract and PSG are keeping an eye on the Frenchman.

There are also question marks over the availability of Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez in the upcoming transfer window, with Newcastle holding an interest in the former.

Van Dijk will also be 34-years-old going into next season, and succession planning will no doubt have to begin soon.

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Liverpool will likely be in the hunt for a new central defender this summer, and all signs point towards Dean Huijsen leaving Bournemouth. The 20-year-old could be exactly what the Reds are looking for, and supporters will hope a deal can be done early in the window.