Barcelona and Chelsea have reportedly been keen on signing 33-year-old Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, who has signed a new contract with Liverpool.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Virgil van Dijk courted interest from several European bigwigs before committing his future to Liverpool. The Dutch defender has signed a two-year contract with the Merseyside club. However, Chelsea and Barcelona were keen on securing the veteran centre-back’s services before he committed his future to Liverpool.
Virgil van Dijk and his Liverpool lore
Virgil van Dijk has been one of the best players in the world since joining Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018. The Dutchman was already a highly-rated centre-back before he arrived at Anfield, and he has come leaps and bounds in the last seven years.
The 33-year-old has turned out over 300 times thus far for Liverpool while chipping in with 27 goals and 13 assists. The veteran defender has been a rock at the back for the Merseyside outfit, excelling alongside multiple partners in the last seven and a half years.
The Dutch defender has extended his association with Liverpool by signing a new two-year deal this week. However, the Reds were in a spot of bother over van Dijk’s long-term future after he entered the final few months of his contract with the Merseyside club. The situation piqued the attention of several European bigwigs, including Barcelona and Chelsea.
A man in demand
Barcelona’s interest in Virgil van Dijk made sense. The Catalan giants are in a spot of bother on the financial front, and they cannot afford big-money deals for world-class players. So, with Andreas Christensen facing an uncertain future at FC Barcelona, the Blaugrana can do with a centre-back, making the Liverpool captain a viable short-term target.
As for Chelsea, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, and Axel Disasi face an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. In addition, Wesley Fofana has struggled with fitness issues throughout his stint with the West London club. So, van Dijk was an option worth considering to groom Levi Colwill despite his advancing years.
However, Barcelona and Chelsea must look elsewhere for a new centre-back after seeing van Dijk sign a new contract with Liverpool. It will be interesting to see who becomes the top target for the European bigwigs.
