Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has entered the final year of his contract at the club.
The Dutch centre-back has been one of Liverpool’s best players during their successful spell under former manager Jurgen Klopp.
The signing of Van Dijk was the difference maker for Liverpool and it won’t be wrong to suggest that his arrival at the club elevated the level of the whole team.
With his contract expiring next year and no decision taken on a contract renewal, the Reds are making plans for life without him.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Premier League giants have identified Sevilla defender Lioc Bade as the candidate to replace Van Dijk.
The La Liga defender has a £50.6m [€60m] release clause and the Merseyside club are willing to activate it next year.
Liverpool will face competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich to sign the defender.
As per the report, the Reds “consider him a serious option to replace Virgil Van Dijk”.
In the 2022/23 season, the defender joined Nottingham Forest on loan but left the Premier League club without making an appearance.
The 24-year-old French defender has impressed Arne Slot’s team because of his ‘solidity and youth’.
Liverpool target will be hoping to prove himself in England
Bade helped France win the silver medal at the Olympics this summer by keeping four clean sheets in five starts.
His time has been hugely successful at Sevilla, with the defender contributing to the club’s Europa League win.
It remains to be seen if Liverpool will move ahead with their interest in the defender.
Replacing Van Dijk will not be easy and the defender will have to deal with the pressure of playing for a bigger club, in a tougher league but he will be hoping to prove himself in England after a failed spell at Nottingham.