I really don’t like seeing Virgil van Dijk linked with a move away from Liverpool.
But this is one of those rumours that I think Liverpool fans have to take seriously, even if there is still a long way to go before anything actually happens.
AC Milan are reportedly preparing to make another attempt to sign the Liverpool captain when his contract expires at the end of the season.
And the claim coming from Italian journalist Carlo Pellegatti is pretty bold.
He believes Van Dijk will end up wearing the Milan shirt “sooner or later.”
That doesn’t mean a deal has been agreed. It hasn’t.
But Milan’s interest in Van Dijk is certainly not new.
The Italian club were already linked with the Dutchman earlier this year, with reports suggesting they were prepared to wait until his Liverpool contract expired rather than try to sign him for a fee.
And that is what makes this latest report particularly interesting.
Van Dijk is now in the final year of his Liverpool contract.
So, unless something changes, Liverpool could eventually lose their captain without receiving a transfer fee.
For a player who has given the club so much, that would be a difficult one to swallow.
I still think Liverpool should be talking to Van Dijk
I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it.
I would like to see Liverpool extend Van Dijk’s contract.
I understand the age argument. He’s 35 now and eventually Liverpool have to think about the next generation.
But football isn’t played on spreadsheets.
Van Dijk is still the captain. He’s still a leader. He’s still playing alongside players like Jérémy Jacquet who are learning what it takes to defend at the highest level.
And from what we’ve seen this season, Liverpool aren’t exactly struggling because they have too much experience at the back.
Quite the opposite.
Van Dijk has been an important part of a defence that has become one of the more encouraging aspects of Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool so far.
Jacquet is developing. Ronald Araújo has added strength and versatility. There are younger defenders coming through.
But that doesn’t mean you suddenly stop needing Van Dijk.
If anything, having him around while those players develop makes sense to me.
Milan clearly haven’t forgotten about him
Pellegatti has continued to insist that Milan’s interest is genuine.
His latest comments suggest the idea is still very much alive from the Italian side, with the possibility of signing Van Dijk as a free agent next summer being part of the thinking.
And if Ruben Amorim is still the man managing Milan when the time comes, that could add another interesting layer to the story.
Amorim reportedly wanted Van Dijk previously, so the idea of the Portuguese coach getting another opportunity to bring the Liverpool captain to Italy is certainly something worth keeping an eye on.
But I wouldn’t get carried away with this just yet.
Van Dijk has already shown that he isn’t desperate to leave Liverpool.
He chose to remain at Anfield this summer despite interest elsewhere, and his immediate focus remains on playing for Liverpool.
There is also the possibility of another contract extension.
And that is where this whole story gets interesting for me.
Liverpool have a decision to make.
Do they look at Van Dijk’s age and decide that the time is right to move on?
Or do they look at the player, the leader and the experience he brings to a changing squad and decide that another contract makes sense?
I know which conversation I’d rather Liverpool were having.
Because the thought of watching Van Dijk walk away from Anfield for nothing and then turn up at San Siro wearing Milan colours would be a strange one.
He’s been such a huge part of Liverpool’s modern history.
The trophies. The big European nights. The Premier League titles. The leadership.
And now he’s helping a new generation of defenders find their feet at Liverpool.
I don’t think the club should simply assume that Jacquet, Leoni and the rest can replace everything Van Dijk gives them overnight.
Maybe the time will come when Van Dijk decides that Italy is the next chapter.
Maybe Milan really will eventually get their man.
But Liverpool still have a full season to make their case.
And if Van Dijk continues playing at this level, I’d be doing everything I could to convince him that his story at Anfield isn’t finished yet.
Because Virgil van Dijk leaving Liverpool on a free transfer would be one of the biggest decisions this club has to make next summer.
And Milan clearly intend to be waiting if Liverpool decide otherwise.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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