Liverpool have already 'identified' their long-term Virgil van Dijk replacement and player 'would jump' to sign for them

Liverpool have identified their long term successor to Virgil van Dijk, it has been claimed.

A fresh Football Insider report has claimed Marc Guehi has informed his friends he wants to join a “bigger club” than Newcastle United and would be keen on a move to Liverpool.

The Anfield club are likely to target a new centre-back in the coming windows, with Van Dijk in the last year of his contract.

Guehi, who has skippered Crystal Palace on various occasions and started all but one match for England at the European Championships, was the subject of interest from Newcastle this summer.

The Magpies had four bids rejected for the 24-year-old centre-back in August, with Palace co-owner Steve Parish having insisted the club would only accept “superstar money” to part ways with the player.

However, Palace may look to sell Guehi next summer, with the player’s contract having entered its final two years.

Football Insider has alleged that Guehi is aware of interest from Liverpool and “would jump” at the opportunity to sign for the Merseyside club.

Liverpool have reportedly been monitoring the England star since the summer, but Arne Slot’s misgivings stopped the club from making a formal move.

Moreover, Newcastle reportedly remain keen on signing Guehi with Howe having made the defender his number-one target. The player, however, isn’t said to be pushing for a move to St. James’ Park.

Guehi has played every minute of Crystal Palace’s season so far in all competitions.

Earlier this month, Parish explained that Palace expected Guehi to depart in the summer.

Guehi has played every minute for Palace this season (Getty)

“I don’t think the window worked out exactly the same format that we thought it would,” he told Sky Sports. “Maybe we thought at the beginning it’d be more likely that Marc Guehi went and we kept Joachim Andersen.

“We accepted that bid [for Andersen] which then made it very difficult really to sell both of our starting centre-backs in one window.

“That’s not to say it wasn’t still an outside possibility that we got to the right number but then Chadi Riad got injured. That doesn’t look quite as bad as it seems but it still left us very light and really made it impossible for us to consider at that point.”