Virgil van Dijk might make a surprising move this summer as Liverpool look for a £90m replacement.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk might leave the club as soon as this summer, and the team is already looking for someone to take his place. In their last five games, Liverpool’s defense has been strong, letting in just two goals and keeping three clean sheets. Van Dijk has been a key part of this success.
There are talks that Italian club AC Milan is planning a big move to sign van Dijk in 2027. New signings Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo have helped, but van Dijk’s performances have been a big reason for Liverpool’s strong defense this season. He’s quickly settled in with Jacquet, and together they have kept three clean sheets in a row in the Premier League.
Even though he’s still very important to Liverpool, the rumors about him leaving this summer are not going away. Italian journalist Carlo Pellegatti says a move to AC Milan is becoming more likely. Pellegatti shared that Milan’s owner, Gerry Cardinale, wants to get van Dijk either now by paying a fee or next year for free when his contract expires.
Right now, van Dijk’s contract runs until the end of the season, after he signed a two-year extension in April 2025. He’ll be 36 when that contract ends, but if he keeps playing well, Liverpool will probably want to offer him a new deal. If they don’t, van Dijk will be free to join any team he wants next year, which would boost AC Milan’s chances of signing him.
If van Dijk does leave Liverpool this summer, it would be a big loss, especially if he goes for free, like former teammates Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah. But Liverpool is already working on a replacement. Reports say they are interested in Micky van de Ven, a fellow Dutch defender currently at Tottenham Hotspur. The club would be ready to sign him quickly to fill the gap left by van Dijk.
Man United is also interested in van de Ven, but Liverpool is thought to be the favorite to sign him. However, this won’t be cheap—Liverpool might have to pay between £80 million and £90 million, which would make van de Ven the most expensive defender in Premier League history.