Van Dijk receives FOUR offers to leave Liverpool, with captain ‘seduced’ by Euro giant

Virgil van Dijk is reported to have received five firm offers for his services next season, including one from Liverpool, though reports in Spain claim the star has been ‘seduced’ by one side in particular and ‘leaves the door open’ for a move there.

The Reds captain is one of three stars at Anfield whose deals are due to expire at the end of the season, with Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold also able to depart Liverpool Football Club as free agents on July 1 – just 140 days from now. But while speculation over both Salah and Alexander-Arnold has indicated they will move on to pastures new, Van Dijk had looked the most certain of the trio to hang around – until now!

And after reports in Spain earlier on Monday claimed Van Dijk is ‘determined to explore a new challenge in his career’, the same (somewhat notorious) publication, El Nacional, now claims that Liverpool’s captain fantastic is very much a man in demand with up to four offers on the table to leave Anfield this summer, but with one side in particular holding the biggest appeal and having ‘seduced’ the towering Dutchman to move there.

They write that the 33-year-old has ‘three strong offers already on the table: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus want to sign him, attracted not only by his quality but also by the opportunity to sign him at zero cost’.

Of those three, they state that Serie A side Juventus and Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are ‘not far behind’ Real Madrid in the race to sign Van Dijk for nothing in the summer.

However, all of them trail Barcelona in Van Dijk’s thinking, it’s claimed, with the report claiming the former star has been ‘seduced’ by the prospect of signing for the Blaugrana and ‘leaves the doors open’ to his transfer to the Nou Camp in the summer.

Ramping up those claims, they state the 33-year-old ‘would love to play’ under Hansi Flick next season in what has been described as a huge blow’ for Liverpool, who have also presented their offer for him to stay.

READ MORE 📌 Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold ALL backed to quit Liverpool as pundit names two factors that will force exits

The truths behind Van Dijk’s contract situation at Liverpool

Their report concludes by stating that Van Dijk’s ‘departure from Liverpool seems increasingly imminent and the interest of these European giants predicts an intense fight for his signature’.

Per our transfer insider Fraser Fletcher, however, Liverpool remain calm on the situation and still expect him to be at Anfield next season. Nothing, though, has been decided yet by the player, who was first presented with a new deal by Reds officials back in November and had, at the time, expressed a willingness to sign with just a few details left to be ironed out.

And while the interest in his services from the Continent is genuine, club officials are not commenting on claims that Van Dijk could depart Anfield.

Furthermore, we understand that talks with his agent are continuing and the presence of his representative at Anfield alongside sporting director Richard Hughes on Thursday during the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham is a sure-fire sign that Liverpool still believe a deal is there to be done. To that end, they are far from ready to accept the exit of their star defender and captain at this stage.

Strong reports last week even suggested both Salah and Van Dijk had already signed new deals to stay, though an announcement was being held up by Alexander-Arnold’s refusal to commit and to ensure the spotlight was not firmly turned in the right-back’s direction.

However, Slot moved to deny those claims at the weekend, stating: “We have some contractual situations that you don’t probably don’t know about.

“But Trent, Mo and Virgil haven’t extended yet. So we are aware of the fact that we have to be sharp and ready for things that can happen.

“My life is mainly short term but we have so many quality people at this club that look at the longer term as well. You always have to be prepared for all the new things coming up.

“The players that don’t play a big part at the moment; will they be able to do this another year? Will they fight for their place or will they [want to] go somewhere else? So we have to be prepared for the next window and what we can do.”

Liverpool transfer latest: Salah’s best friend provides worrying exit update

With Van Dijk linked with Barca, the towering defender might not be the only Dutch star who could be on the move between the two clubs this summer if fanciful reports in Spain are to be believed, amid claims that Frenkie De Jong has had a ‘bombshell’ transfer to Anfield green-lit, with his asking price also coming to light.

Meanwhile, fears that Salah will depart Anfield this summer have also accelerated on Tuesday morning after the player’s best friend, former Reds defender Dejan Lovren, revealed just how close he is to quitting Anfield and with a second source revealing the huge salary on offer to the player from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

And finally, while Liverpool’s focus will be very much turned to victory in the last ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, journalist Henry Winter has criticised Slot for the first big mistake he has made since succeeding Jurgen Klopp and having also named the three players he now knows he cannot rely on following their disappointing FA Cup exit at Plymouth Argyle.

QUIZ: Van Dijk, Trent or Salah – can you answer these teasers?