Liverpool REIGNITE interest in £80m defender to replace Van Dijk

Liverpool could be facing a triple contract blow at the end of this season.

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Mohamed Salah, the team’s top scorer, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk could all be leaving the club when their contracts expire in summer 2025.

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So far FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes have had no luck in tying down the trio to new deals. Accordingly, the Reds have been linked with a host of replacement players.

Anthony Gordon is now reported to be the preferred option up front should Salah go and Al Hilal have put together an enticing package for the Egyptian.

Trent, meanwhile, looks set for a free transfer to Real Madrid with the Reds looking at Amar Dedic, Jeremie Frimpong and more as potential right-back arrivals.

Liverpool 'seriously interested' in Murillo

At centre-back, it appeared that Virgil van Dijk’s tenure at the club would be extended as a matter of formality but he still hasn’t put pen to paper.

And Liverpool could well be about to move to secure their future in the position. One player mentioned ahead of last summer’s transfer window was the Nottingham Forest defender Murillo.

The 22-year-old has gone on to become one of the stars of the Tricky Trees’ outstanding season to date, which sees them inside the Premier League’s Champions League qualification places.

The former Corinthians stopper was named Forest’s player of the season last term and his form over the course of this campaign has brought him onto the radar of the Reds once again.

Forest appeared to put any aspiring suitor’s ambitions of signing Murillo to rest earlier this month when they secured him to a new contract until 2029.

But Caught Offside is now reporting that Liverpool are preparing for Van Dijk’s exit by making their interest in Murillo known.

"There is “serious interest” from the Anfield outfit in Nottingham Forest centre-back, Murillo," a report states.

It could take £80 million to sign the Brazilian and Arsenal, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have also been named as interested parties.

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The report also states that Murillo would consider a move to Anfield if the two clubs came to an agreement over his transfer fee.

His signing will go down as a remarkable piece of business from Forest, who signed him from Corinthians for an initial £10m back in 2023.

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