Liverpool in contact with corner-taking MENACE to replace Van Dijk

Liverpool are facing the unenviable task of replacing Virgil van Dijk. The 33-year-old has yet to put pen to paper on a new contract and is currently due to leave the club at the end of the season.

A renewal looked a formality before Christmas but the trail appears to have gone cold in recent months. As such, Paris Saint-Germain have reached out with a money-spinning offer to the Dutchman, who also retains interest from Saudi Arabia.

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But even if Liverpool do manage to sign Van Dijk to a new deal, his advanced age means successors need to be sourced in any case.

The Reds might opt to add Jorrel Hato - for example - and have him work alongside his compatriot for a season or two before taking over.

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But due diligence is taking place on a number of candidates who could come to Anfield to replace Van Dijk. One of those players is Nico Schlotterbeck.

Dortmund desperate to tie down Schlotterbeck

The 25-year-old left-sided defender has been a bright spot in a poor Bundesliga season for Borussia Dortmund.

The German international has played 23 times for the Yellow-and-Blacks, adding four assists, and has been an ever-present in their Champions League campaign too.

Two of those assists came as emergency corner-taker during the weekend Bundesliga game against Mainz. That despite him NEVER taking a single corner in the Bundesliga up to that point.

"The head coach said that Holger Badstuber once took corners for Bayern Munich despite being a central defender. The corners I took in training worked well, so I just tried to do the same thing," he told the Bundesliga website after.

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Interest is growing in the former Freiburg man and BVB are keen to tie him down to a new contract.

"We've known each other for a very long time, we respect each other, and we have a great deal of trust. Nico knows that. We'll discuss everything else internally!" sporting director Sebastian Kehl recently told Bild.

Liverpool initiate contact with Schlotterbeck

His current contract expires in 2027 and Dortmund are hopeful he will sign a renewal, which takes his salary from €5 million to €10m.

But the same report also claims that Liverpool are among the teams who have initiated contact with Schlotterbeck over the terms of a summer deal.

“No wonder he's receiving inquiries from top clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona,” the German publication states.

Liverpool’s interest in Schlotterbeck stretches back to the winter, when he was described as an ideal candidate to take over from Van Dijk.

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With Dortmund facing financial uncertainty due to an impending lack of Champions League football, now might be the right time to strike a deal.

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