Liverpool target Brazilian defender as Van Dijk exit accelerates and Slot pleas fall on deaf ears

Liverpool appear to be in growing danger of losing captain Virgil van Dijk this summer with a lucrative transfer drawing ever closer and with reports in Italy claiming sporting director Richard Hughes is ready to make his move to sign a Brazilian defender as his replacement.

A new cycle is underway at Anfield with Arne Slot replacing the legendary Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dug-out following close to nine years in charge – and Liverpool will be hoping the new man at the helm can have a quick impact on Merseyside. Of course, like any major period of adjustment, a bedding-in process and a potential dip in results may end up being part of that process.

It’s not just the management that is changing too; Michael Edwards has returned after two years away in a newly-created CEO of football role, while Hughes becomes the new man in charge of transfers. There has also been a raft of changes to the backroom staff too, with former Feyenoord coach Slot effectively bringing in an entirely new team.

But the one thing that will largely not change – or so Liverpool hope – is the playing squad. Of course, changes will happen and with Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Adrian all exiting, a natural change in personnel was always coming.

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But Slot will have been very much hoping to continue working with the core group of players who brought Liverpool so much success down the years, with the new manager making it clear in early conversations with Edwards and Hughes that retaining the bulk of those players would be key this summer.

Van Dijk nearing Liverpool exit door

Three of their star names – Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Van Dijk – are all on contracts that are due to expire in around 11 months time.

And while Slot is determined to continue working with them, asking the Reds to extend their stays, TEAMtalk understands that contract talks with all three players is yet to begin.

As a result, and with the summer window very much open for business, speculation is rising over the futures of all three players, with Salah continuing to be linked with a move to Saudi Arabia and Alexander-Arnold’s situation being followed closely by Real Madrid.

However, as TEAMtalk transfer correspondent Rudy Galetti outlined on Saturday, the man seemingly most likely to leave in the here and now is Van Dijk.

And according to Galetti, a meeting has been given the green light by Van Dijk to discuss a potential transfer to Saudi Arabia with the Private Investment Fund (PIF) who are behind four of the Pro-League’s biggest sides.

Van Dijk has already served notice of his possible exit from Anfield by declaring in the days prior to the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 semi-final defeat to England: “I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player.

“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.”

Whether that move will come this summer or next – and a pre-contract agreement being signed in January has not been ruled out either – remains to be seen.

But the Reds are very much aware of the developments and Galetti claims officials at Liverpool have responded by placing a €55m (£46.4m) price tag on the head of the 33-year-old defender.

Liverpool transfers: Approach made for Juventus defender

Van Dijk made 48 appearances for Liverpool over the 2023/24 campaign – his first as full-time captain – and with the experienced star rolling back the years and enjoying one of his most consistent seasons on a personal level.

A natural captain and leader, his exit would understandably leave an enormous hole for the Reds to fill, with his signing from Southampton in January 2018 seen as one of the most transformative and important moves made by the club in the Klopp years.

As a result, filling his boots will be almost as tough as Slot will find succeeding Klopp at Anfield…

The likes of  Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio have been strongly linked as targets this summer, though there are some doubts the latter lacks the gumption and know-how on succeeding at the very highest level.

As a result, reports in Italy claim the Reds have now instead made an enquiry with Juventus over the possible signing of Gleison Bremer.

The Brazilian is regarded as one of Serie A’s most fearsome defenders, expertly marshalling a Juve defence that conceded just 31 goals in 38 league games in the season just gone.

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On a contract that runs to 2028, the 27-year-old would clearly not come cheap and it’s reported that the Bianconeri have responded to a Liverpool approach by slapping a €70m (£59m) price tag on the five-times capped Brazil defender’s head.

Some six years younger than Van Dijk, but still with tons of top-level experience, he could prove a logical replacement for the Reds skipper at the heart of the defence.

Albeit less graceful and certainly more of the old-school art of defending than Van Dijk, Bremer, who stands 6ft 2in, would bring a different type of presence to the Liverpool defence if a move for his services is made.

However, Slot’s first priority remains on keeping Van Dijk and the new Liverpool boss will be desperately hoping his pleas to tie him down to a new deal do not fall on deaf ears.