Liverpool want 'the future of European football' to replace Virgil van Dijk in eye-catching transfer
Liverpool are already planning for life without Virgil van Dijk, as the Reds are showing a strong interest in a player labelled 'the future of European football'.
Van Dijk has been a stalwart at Liverpool since joining from Southampton for £75million in 2017, establishing himself as one of the world's best defenders and winning every domestic honour available during an incredible nine years at Anfield.
But the Merseyside giants accept that all good things must come to an end and, at the age of 35, the Dutchman is approaching the end of his career. He sees his Reds contract expire in June 2027, and it appears Andoni Iraola is lining up a strong long-term replacement for his captain.
Liverpool join Real Madrid, Bayern Munich an Barcelona in race to sign Luka Vuskovic
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all 'seriously interested' in signing Brighton & Hove Albion defender Luka Vuskovic.
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The Croatian international only joined the Seagulls from Tottenham Hotspur for a club-record £50million in the summer, but his impressive performances in the Premier League have caught the eye of Europe's biggest clubs.
Vuskovic has established himself as one of the Premier League's most promising defenders, with his aerial dominance, composure on the ball and physical presence enhancing his reputation among the best youngsters in world football.
Still only 19, Vuskovic is seen as the complete defender who could replace Van Dijk at Anfield, though TEAMtalk states that no formal moves have yet been made and any concrete approach is expected to be framed around next summer.
Most importantly, Brighton are under 'no pressure to sell' their prized asset. The teenager is under contract at the AMEX Stadium until 2031 and has already become an important piece of Fabian Hurzeler's tactical puzzle.
Bayern Munich have also 'tracked' Vuskovic for quite some time after watching him flourish during a loan spell at Hamburg last season. Crucially, he is said to be 'open' to joining the German giants in the future, making it potentially harder for Liverpool to secure his signature.
How Luka Vuskovic compares to Virgil van Dijk
Widely regarded as a budding superstar, Croatian legend Darijo Srna believes he is the "future of European football", backing the youngster to reach the top of world football during an interview with Flashscore in June.
"I know Luka from when he was a kid because I played in the youth categories at Hajduk Split with his father, Danijel," said Srna, who has the third-most caps for Croatia (134).
"He is a very good friend of mine. I know Luka and Mario, his two sons. They are amazing kids with amazing talent.
"Luka has already shown that he will have an amazing future. He plays with so much confidence that I have the feeling he is a 25-year-old player.
"For sure, he is part of the future of European football and of the Croatian national team."
After playing a crucial role in Brighton's excellent start to the Premier League, helping them collect 16 points from eight matches, many will ask: how does Vuskovic compare to Van Dijk this season?
Well, according to FotMob, the Seagulls star has outperformed the Dutchman for aerial duels won per 90 this term (4.07 compared to 3.5), as well as making more recoveries (4.19 compared to 3.38) and more tackles (1.14 compared to 1).
Although he's only narrowly outperforming Van Dijk for those particular defensive metrics, he is also marginally better statistically in possession. He has completed more successful dribbles and has a slightly better pass completion, though he does fall short for line-breaking passes.
Vuskovic is already an all-round defensive monster at such a young age and, if Liverpool do successfully replace him with their club legend, perhaps he will follow in his footsteps.
Topics: Transfer News, Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool, Brighton And Hove Albion
Thomas Griffin