Liverpool find the one to REPLACE Virgil van Dijk - and he's a breeze to sign

Liverpool have found the one to sign Virgil van Dijk - whenever that may be. Even better, the player is a breeze to sign.

Liverpool need their Virgil van Dijk replacement. There's no way around that.

Liverpool transfer latest: Reds plot double move as BLOCKBUSTER bid turned down

Of course, we're hoping this is something for the long-term. Van Dijk's contract expires in the summer but we still understand at Anfield Watch that he will sign a new one.

Though, we're sweating until it's confirmed and Liverpool may well need to sign a new centre-back in the summer to replace their captain. Fingers crossed, though, that it won't be necessary to replace Van Dijk for a couple of years yet.

Read More: Liverpool's top 5 wins over Everton

Regardless, of any of that, however, Liverpool need to sign someone. In fact, they need to sign Van Dijk's long-term replacement as it looks increasingly unlikely Joe Gomez or Jarell Quansah can be that.

So that player should probably arrive in the next window. Especially given Gomez's future is a little uncertain - he neatly joined Newcastle United last summer, after all.

But here's the good news: Liverpool appear to know about the perfect player to follow in Van Dijk's footsteps. And he's a breeze to sign.

Dean Huijsen - the next Van Dijk?

Dean Huijsen is having an outstanding debut season for Bournemouth. He’s fit into that team perfectly and has quickly established himself as a proper Premier League defender.

The standout stat about Huijsen is that he hasn't turned 20 yet. The teenager is actually in the middle of his first full senior season, having only started playing regular football in 2024.

The key trait on the pitch, though, is his ability to pass the ball. Huijsen's completion isn't all that impressive, with only 84 per cent of his passes finding a teammate.

But the reason for that percentage is clear: Huijsen tries difficult passes. His 4.49 'progressive' passes per 90 is around where Van Dijk lands (4.35), while there's a similar number of passes into the final third (5.51 vs 6.7).

READ MORE: Liverpool CONTACT Benfica over Robertson successor

REVEALED: Liverpool's top 10 most valuable players

It's this type of passing that high-end possession teams need from their centre-backs. Huijsen provides it.

Again, though, he's doing this at 19 and in his debut full campaign. There is every expectation that the youngster will only get better at this part of the game.

The defensive stuff is all solid, too, as you'd expect from a Bournemouth team that's flying this season. Huijsen comes across as a player ready to play for Liverpool right now, honestly, but with the potential to be a true superstar.

The Reds know that, too. They were heavily linked with him in 2024 but ultimately stuck with the defenders they already have.

The final Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park will kick-off at 19:30 GMT and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1.

Watch the match LIVE.

But here's the thing, Huijsen is relatively simple to sign. He has a release clause in his contract, which The Boot Room claims sits at £55m.

For a player with Huijsen's talent - one we'd love to see arrive at Liverpool - that's a bargain. Genuinely. Richard Hughes, go raid your old club and get us the ultimate Van Dijk successor.

Liverpool FC news recap: Salah and Van Dijk announcement IMMINENT as Romano confirms move