Virgil van Dijk said that he wants Mohamed Salah to remain at Liverpool after he returns from the African Cup of Nations, but what about the Dutchman’s own future?
Months of speculation were ended in April when Salah and then the skipper penned contract extensions. Trent Alexander-Arnold did not, but the world-class veterans remain at the club until the end of the 2026/27 season.
Of the two, Van Dijk feels the more likely to remain on Merseyside for the duration of his £350k-per-week deal. Salah’s future is clouded over, a haze descending on the club’s talisman after his post-match vitriol against Red powers that be, kept on the bench by Arne Slot as Liverpool collapsed and drew.
But Van Dijk is 34 years old, and he has not been his usual imperious self this season. It would be a tough task to name one of Europe’s elite centre-halves as likely thriving in this dysfunctional Liverpool system this season, but there are a few who might have made a world of difference, had they been landed during the summer.
Marc Guehi is a case in point.
The latest on Liverpool’s interest in Guehi
Guehi came within a whisker of joining Liverpool during the summer. Pursued all through the off-season, Liverpool left it too late, with a deal collapsing at the eleventh hour after the Eagles failed to land a replacement.
This is a player who can not only secure a starting role in Slot’s Liverpool side but replace Van Dijk too.
The England international has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs over the past year, and given that he is out of contract at the end of the campaign, FSG are eyeing a shrewd free transfer come the summer.
But Liverpool’s defensive problems are dire. Ibrahima Konate has been woeful this season, Guehi has been immense by contrast. Liverpool perhaps cannot wait for the end of the term to redress their tattered backline.
However, Manchester City are ramping up their own interest in the 25-year-old, and Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are suitors too.
It would be negligible for sporting director Richard Hughes to venture into the winter market without an alternative mind, and luckily, he has such a player in his sights.
Liverpool “in the market” for Guehi alternative
According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Liverpool are “in the market” for Borussia Dortmund star Nico Schlotterbeck as a fallback to Guehi, should that one not work out.
The 26-year-old is one of the best centre-backs in the Bundesliga, and while he is about to enter the final 18 months of his contract at the Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund would seek £50m to part with him at the campaign’s midpoint.
Schlotterbeck is also coveted by Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern, so Liverpool may not want to hang about if they are indeed serious about bringing him over to Anfield.
Why Schlotterbeck would be perfect for Liverpool
Schlotterbeck has been on Liverpool’s radar for a while, and given Van Dijk’s age and Konate’s form, it might be money well spent, bringing him over to the Premier League in January.
Described as an “absolute beast” of a defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig while playing for RB Leipzig, Schlotterbeck is tall and strong and purposeful on the ball. In fact, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 3% of centre-backs across Europe over the past year for passes attempted, the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 5% for assists and shot-creating actions, and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
This is a modern defender whose skills align with those which Slot needs to make his team tick. Liverpool have had problems in the deep build-up this season, and they need to address this to help create balance and fluidity across the entire park.
We’ve already seen how favourably Guehi compares to Van Dijk, now look at how Schlotterbeck has performed in the Bundesliga, in comparison to the Palace skipper’s Premier League performance.
German international Schlotterbeck is even more mobile and combative and active in defensive phases, all the while maintaining a crispness in possession that does not detract from retention.
|
Bundesliga 25/26 – Nico Schlotterbeck |
|
|---|---|
|
Stats (* per game) |
# |
|
Matches (starts) |
10 (10) |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Touches* |
82.0 |
|
Pass completion |
57.6 (88%) |
|
Key passes* |
0.3 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
4.9 |
|
Dribbles* |
0.4 |
|
Tackles + interceptions* |
3.4 |
|
Clearances* |
4.5 |
|
Duels (won)* |
5.6 (66%) |
|
Errors made |
0 |
|
Data via Sofascore |
|
Perhaps most significantly, he hasn’t made a single mistake in the Bundesliga this season. Given the severity of Liverpool’s defensive errors throughout the campaign, such a serene ball-playing presence could go down a treat for a defence in disrepair.
Would FSG want to pay a sum of £50m this winter? Hardly likely. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and Liverpool need to sign a centre-back for the second half of the season.
To opt against doing so would potentially have huge ramifications relating to Champions League qualification and challenging for silverware in Europe’s elite club competition and the FA Cup.
This new tactical paradigm in the Premier League has caught Liverpool unawares. Slot’s side have been susceptible to set-pieces and the directness of play that wasn’t so commonplace only a year or two ago. Equally, they are struggling to mete out their own attacking justice from corners and free-kicks.
The 6 foot 3 Schlotterbeck would prove instrumental in helping shape this next version of Slot’s team. Guehi would also be a terrific pick, but this is a defender at the top of his game, and who’s to say he won’t outshine the Three Lions star in the Premier League next season?
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