Exclusive: Liverpool demand €55m for fundamental star after Saudi talks as PIF prepare new strategy

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is a target for the Saudi Pro League this summer and TEAMtalk can reveal the Reds’ response to a recent approach and how the PIF plans to explore a new transfer tactic to get the Dutchman.

Van Dijk’s entourage, as reported weeks ago, planned to meet the PIF to better understand the proposal ready for the Dutch defender, and so it happened.

At the end of Euro 2024, the parties talked about the negotiation room for a possible transfer this summer. No decision was made on that occasion, but Van Dijk doesn’t turn down the possibility of joining the Saudi Pro League and has given the green light to the Saudi negotiator to start talking with Liverpool.

The English club was approached by the PIF and the first request made – in terms of offer – to evaluate Virgil’s possible farewell was around €55 million (£46.3m).

That figure is currently considered too high by the Saudi negotiator, who has made it known that they want to take a few days to internally evaluate their possible next actions.

However, this request deemed too high could seriously jeopardise the negotiation, with the PIF ready to withdraw from the talks for Van Dijk if the cost doesn’t drop drastically.

An alternative that is gaining ground in the last few hours is that the Saudi negotiator, given that Virgil’s contract expires in 2025 (and talks related to his renewal are stalled) could wait until January, trying to get him to sign a pre-contract so he can move as a free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season.

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Van Dijk considering Liverpool future

The 33-year-old recently hinted he will be considering his future over the summer.

“I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player,” he stated after England knocked the Netherlands out of Euro 2024. “Then we’ll go for it again, but first recover from this.

“After a season like this, where all kinds of things have happened, it gets emotional at the end because you know it’s over.”

Van Dijk made 48 appearances for Liverpool last season, in his first as captain. The Reds finished third in the Premier League before manager Jurgen Klopp stood down and made way for Arne Slot.

Van Dijk has been at Liverpool since January 2018 and for most of the time since has been regarded as one of the best defenders in the world.

Eager to raise the profile of their league even further, Saudi negotiators have included Van Dijk on their shortlist of defenders they could take to the Middle East.

Another Premier League centre-back TEAMtalk has confirmed is on the Saudi shortlist in another fresh update is West Ham’s Nayef Aguerd.

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