Liverpool can sign ideal Virgil van Dijk partner for £52million after new deal agreed

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He's been linked with Liverpool for a long time and all the Reds need to do is activate his release clauseLiverpool could still strike a deal for Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck - even though the player has recently penned a new deal with the Bundesliga outfit. Experienced defender Joe Gomez may leave this summer, and club captain Virgil van Dijk, while frequently persuading many he remains at his prime, will be 35 by the beginning of next season.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FB PAGE!

His passing accuracy stands at 88.3 per cent, while he has recorded 142 ball recoveries.The player's fellow countryman and Liverpool icon, Didi Hamman, believes Schlotterbeck could even act as a replacement for Van Dijk.Speaking in October 2025, the former midfielder said: "He's a natural leader.... I think he'd be a great signing for Liverpool, and a lot of other teams as well."While Liverpool could explore the possibility with a substantial offer, Schlotterbeck himself admitted in late 2025 that he harbours ambitions of claiming silverware in the Bundesliga.

His desire for trophies could potentially complicate any potential transfer, having finished as runner-up with former club Freiburg in the German Cup in 2022 and with Dortmund in the 2024 Champions League final.He said: "I have the goal of winning a championship in Germany. But if Real Madrid comes calling, you want to keep a door open, at least a small crack you can walk through."If fans now say, 'Oh, then he's not fully committed anymore' – that's not true.