Fee Reduced – Liverpool must accept £25.3m to acquire £42m player

Although Liverpool would prefer to delay the inevitable, they know the time is approaching when they must find a replacement for Virgil van Dijk. The 33-year-old Dutch defender has not shown any signs of decline, but with his contract expiring next summer, he has yet to agree to a new deal. Given his current performance this season, renewing his contract seems obvious, but the question remains: is he willing to sign?

Recently, Caught Offside reported that Liverpool is considering a transfer for Sevilla’s Loic Bade as a potential successor to Van Dijk. Further, Vamos Mi Sevilla FC noted that Liverpool is seen as a strong candidate to acquire the 24-year-old defender.

Bade’s contract includes a release clause of around £42m (50 million euros), but due to Sevilla’s financial difficulties, Liverpool could secure him for approximately £25.3m (30 million euros). This situation mirrors Liverpool’s recent acquisition of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia at a reduced price, allowing him to continue developing in La Liga before joining Anfield.

Liverpool might pursue a similar strategy with Bade, signing him in the winter and loaning him back to Sevilla for the remainder of the season. Despite having recently extended his contract, Bade remains one of Sevilla’s more marketable assets.

It is uncertain whether Liverpool will act quickly to secure Bade, but the idea appears logical on paper. Only time will tell if he is the right choice to take over from Van Dijk at Anfield.

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Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk accused of throwing teammate under the bus

Liverpool and Netherlands defender Virgil Van Dijk recently criticized his Dutch teammate Matthijs de Ligt during the international break.

De Ligt faced backlash for his performances against Germany and Bosnia, where he was implicated in the opponents’ goals. Van Dijk publicly expressed his disappointment in De Ligt’s display after the match.

Following the game against Germany, Van Dijk remarked, referring to De Ligt’s defensive errors: “You have to learn from this. It was one moment but at the highest level you will get punished for it,” as quoted by *The Mirror*.

Football pundit Harry Redknapp has suggested that Van Dijk effectively “threw his centre-back partner under the bus.” He later included De Ligt in his Premier League team of the week for his outstanding performance against Southampton, where he scored a goal and helped secure a clean sheet in a convincing 3-0 victory for Manchester United.

Speaking to Bet Victor, Redknapp noted, as quoted by Liverpool.com:

“Matthijs de Ligt bounced back from a tough international week, some say that Virgil van Dijk threw him under the bus! Well, this Dutchman certainly silenced the critics with a superb goal and clean sheet! Man United needed a result. They were on a real low after being well beaten by Liverpool, and their new signing stepped up to the mark.”

De Ligt has rebounded following criticism from Liverpool star.

Redknapp was impressed with De Ligt’s response following a challenging international break. The defender showcased strength in all aspects of the game, aiding Manchester United’s recovery after their disappointing loss to Liverpool at Old Trafford.

De Ligt’s performance will be crucial for Erik ten Hag and the team as they aim for success this season. He possesses the potential to become one of the best in his position, and it’s now up to Ten Hag, his former manager at Ajax, to help him realize that potential.