6ft2 standout lined up to replace Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool

Liverpool are lining up a bold move, it seems. The Reds have a 19-year-old lined up to replace Virgil van Dijk.

Is this the final year of Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool? It feels like it, really. The Dutchman's contract expires at the end of the season and he'll turn 36 next summer.

It's unprecedented for Liverpool to hand out a major contract to player that age. Not even Steven Gerrard got one. Van Dijk, though, remains one of the best defenders on the planet, quite honestly, and he's certainly the most important at Anfield.

But we think Liverpool will make moves to replace their captain in 2027, moving on from the player after more than nine years. That, however, is a very difficult task.

Even stranger, Liverpool appear committed to the idea that young players can step up and play key roles at centre-back. They currently only have two centre-backs contracted beyond this season, after all, and both are under 22.

Now it seems they want to add another.

Liverpool aim for Finn Jeltsch

Sport in Spain claims that Liverpool are one of the club in the race for Finn Jeltsch. The centre-back currently plays at Stuttgart and played a good role in their 4th-placed finish last season.

Jeltsch is still only 20 and the fact he’s capable of playing regular senior football already - and for a successful team - has clearly caught the eye of major clubs across European football. There’s now a bit of a fight to get him.

Liverpool are in that mix, of course, but so are Barcelona and Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid and Arsenal are also named in the report, though not as prominently as the other three.

This is bittersweet news for Stuttgart, though. On the one hand, they’ll almost certainly lose their player at some point, likely in 2027 and that’ll be far earlier than they wanted to.

On the other hand, this level of interest in Jeltsch is going to drive his price sky-high. It’s why we believe he’d be a replacement for Van Dijk as there’s no way Liverpool would get interested in a move here if they weren’t planning on using him as a first-XI player.

So in other words, this is one to watch. Liverpool will be in the centre-back market next year as they have little choice but to get involved. And Jeltsch could ultimately be their pick.