Liverpool latest: Virgil van Dijk row takes fresh twist as Real Madrid transfer claim made
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With that in mind, here are the latest updates from around Anfield.READ MORE: Jamie Carragher says Everton 'have to' complete January transfer or risk relegation nervesREAD MORE: Five classic Liverpool vs Real Madrid Champions League matchesVan Dijk row developsAfter labelling Wayne Rooney's recent criticism of Liverpool "lazy," Virgil van Dijk has gained an unexpected ally in Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand.Rooney recently suggested that the Reds' struggles were due to a leadership void, seemingly placing much of the responsibility on captain Van Dijk's shoulders. In reply, the Dutch defender openly dismissed Rooney's comments - a reaction Ferdinand said he admired."I absolutely love that Virgil van Dijk, the captain of Liverpool, is coming out and saying, 'I ain't having what people are saying, I don't agree with that and I don't agree with that.' I think it's brilliant," he said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast."This is what you want.
Whether you agree with him or not, it's a different conversation, but I like the fact that he's prickly and he reads it and he sees it, he hears it and he goes, 'No, I'm not having that and I want to call it out.'"Van Dijk had earlier branded Rooney's assessment as "ridiculous." Following the Villa win, he added: "I didn't hear him last year. Earlier in the year, Manchester City had looked like Liverpool's main rival for the midfielder's signature, but Pep Guardiola's team reportedly deemed the price too high and chose not to compete.It remains uncertain whether Real Madrid - managed by Wirtz's former Leverkusen coach, Xabi Alonso - were ever truly interested, but Carro believes their involvement could have completely changed the outcome."He would definitely have gone to Madrid if Xabi had made the offer.
He saw that we had won the Bundesliga title, but winning the Champions League with Bayer Leverkusen might be more difficult."Hamann recommends transferEx-Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has encouraged his old club to pursue Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, calling the German international an "outstanding" player who could solve Liverpool's current defensive problems.The Reds' resources have been stretched thin after Giovanni Leoni's season-ending injury, leaving Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as the only fit senior centre-backs. He's a natural leader."Liverpool are interested, but you don't know how long Virgil van Dijk is going to be there.